UK
Workers and students took part in protests up and down the country—and defended Chris Nineham and Waseem Yousaf in their court cases
Rally in Oxford
Thursday 13 February 2025
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue
On Thursday, supporters of Palestine raged against Donald Trump’s plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza and the British state’s crackdown on the solidarity movement.
Trade unionists, students and others took part in the eighth national workplace day of action. It was called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Stop The War Coalition (STW) and others—and backed by the TUC trade union federation.
Over 200 people rallied outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London in solidarity with Chris Nineham. Police arrested Chris who was chief steward of the Palestine national demonstration on 18 January.
STW convenor Lindsey German said, “We’re here to show solidarity with Chris who was arrested in the most unjust circumstances. But we’re here to do more than that as well, we’re here to defend the right to protest.
“Protest is under attack in this country, particularly protests that stand for justice, equality and freedom.
“I notice that a thousand tractors are able to block parliament, but when five people do the same for Just Stop Oil they’re put in prison.”
PSC director Ben Jamal was charged with public order offences after the demonstration. “I’m here to show solidarity with Chris and everybody who was unjustly arrested, unjustly charged as a result of the protest on 18 January,” he said.
And with “everybody who for months—beyond months now—has been unjustly arrested and charged because of their solidarity and activism”.
“What happened on 18 January represented a significant escalation in the repression by the state of our movement,” he warned.
He urged that it’s “crucial that we march in unprecedented numbers” at the national demonstration in London this Saturday.
Other speakers included PCS union general secretary Fran Heathcote and left wing MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.
On the same day around 70 people gathered outside the Thames Magistrates’ Court in east London to show solidarity with Palestine activist Waseem Yousaf. Footage shows police violently arresting Waseem in July, but the state is charging him with assault.
Outside the court, chants of “Met police, shame, shame—all the crimes in your name” rang out.
After his hearing, Waseem told Socialist Worker, “It should’ve been nerve wracking, but the gallery was full of supporters. It gave me a lot of strength and hope.”
“The truth is it’s about the flag I had on me, it’s not even about me. The Met attacked me because of the Palestine flag. So we’re going to fight this all the way, and we’re going to win with everybody’s support.”
Waseem told the rally, “I pleaded not guilty in court today, and the court has given me a date for 13 March in the crown court. I haven’t assaulted anybody at all.”
One protester said, “The police didn’t get charged—that’s the issue. When the police do this and there’s no accountability, it’s bad.
After the protest outside the court, people marched to Bethnal Green police station to highlight the Metropolitan police’s brutality. Waseem is one of the many people the British state is targeting.
Around 300 rallied outside KCL university in central London and drowned out a counter-protest to chants of, “Israel is a terror state.”
At north London’s City and Islington College (Candi), workers and students showed solidarity with Palestine.
Bill, film and media student, told Socialist Worker, “I’m here because people out there are being slaughtered and the United States and Britain are not doing anything. They are giving Netanyahu all the weapons he wants and saying ‘do whatever you want’.
“It’s up to the people to go to Number 10 and the White House and say, ‘No. No more killing, no more violence.’”
Merdos, an Iranian sixth form lecturer, told Socialist Worker, “The solution should be that people come together in one state with religious freedom. People should be treated as citizens with equal rights.
“We must be against the US—they are hypocrites just supporting the Zionists.”
UCU union member Sean Vernell said that it’s “great that a ceasefire of sorts is going on”. “But the idea that Trump will turn Gaza into some riviera is an insult”.
He added that the arrests of Jamal and Nineham were “a serious offensive by the state on the right to protest”.
A 60-strong rally in the centre of Newcastle heard speakers from the Unite, Unison, UCU and NUJ unions, the Green Party and students.
Healthcare worker Shumel spoke about paramedic Khalil Al-Sharif, who was killed when Israel targeted an ambulance. He explained that both Palestinians in the West Bank and in Britain are facing attacks on their rights to protest.
He said, “We need to defend the right to protest and defend our colleagues in court on trumped up charges.
“Today it’s about Palestine but it will be anti-racism, climate change and workers’ rights tomorrow.”
Student Georgia said that Northumbria University has accepted money from arms company Lockheed Martin.“We have seen these partnerships across universities globally,” she added.
“Lockheed Martin is gloating about using knowledge from our university to make their weapons of war more efficient.
“We need to stand up together and say not in our universities, not in our workplace, not in our city and not in our world.
“This is a symptom of a sick system where educational institutes, workplaces and our government put profit before people.”
In Portsmouth, around 40 people joined a lunchtime protest to mark the workplace day of action.
Jon Woods, a member of the Unison union, told Socialist Worker, “The Palestine network at the civic offices is growing and people took Palestine flags for their desks. Social workers were once again well represented.”
He added, “Two workers who sit near each other expect to be told to take the flags down. Unison will support them and point out the Ukrainian flag flies outside the civic offices every day.
“How can you work and not be able express your horror at the genocide?”
In Oxford, around 60 students and workers joined a lunchtime rally. Trade unions included the Oxford University UCU union and its branch banner, Unite and Unison union health workers and PCS civil service workers’ union members.
Rhodes Scholars for Palestine, Stop The War, Oxford Action 4 Palestine and Parents 4 Palestine joined the rally.
Julie, a Palestine campaigner in the city, told Socialist Worker “We condemned the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and demand an end to arms sales to Israel.
“It finished on a rallying call to build the biggest possible turnout for Saturday’s national demonstration for Palestine.”
Karen from Manchester told Socialist Worker, “Greater Manchester mental health Unison ran a solidarity stall this morning, raising money for Medical Aid for Palestine as part of the day of action. We had a cake bake stall inside all day.
“This is a team that is out on strike over mental health staffing levels and understands that the same government that’s cutting mental health is funding genocide in Gaza.”
In Brighton, UCU member Christian told Socialist Worker, “There were protests held in both the city centre and at Brighton University. Unite union members were at the forefront of the city centre protest.
“At the university our protest was small, but there was a great response from those passing as everyone is horrified by what Trump is threatening.”
At Aberdeen university, around two dozen students protested for Palestine.
On Thursday, supporters of Palestine raged against Donald Trump’s plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza and the British state’s crackdown on the solidarity movement.
Trade unionists, students and others took part in the eighth national workplace day of action. It was called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Stop The War Coalition (STW) and others—and backed by the TUC trade union federation.
Over 200 people rallied outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London in solidarity with Chris Nineham. Police arrested Chris who was chief steward of the Palestine national demonstration on 18 January.
STW convenor Lindsey German said, “We’re here to show solidarity with Chris who was arrested in the most unjust circumstances. But we’re here to do more than that as well, we’re here to defend the right to protest.
“Protest is under attack in this country, particularly protests that stand for justice, equality and freedom.
“I notice that a thousand tractors are able to block parliament, but when five people do the same for Just Stop Oil they’re put in prison.”
PSC director Ben Jamal was charged with public order offences after the demonstration. “I’m here to show solidarity with Chris and everybody who was unjustly arrested, unjustly charged as a result of the protest on 18 January,” he said.
And with “everybody who for months—beyond months now—has been unjustly arrested and charged because of their solidarity and activism”.
“What happened on 18 January represented a significant escalation in the repression by the state of our movement,” he warned.
He urged that it’s “crucial that we march in unprecedented numbers” at the national demonstration in London this Saturday.
Other speakers included PCS union general secretary Fran Heathcote and left wing MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.
On the same day around 70 people gathered outside the Thames Magistrates’ Court in east London to show solidarity with Palestine activist Waseem Yousaf. Footage shows police violently arresting Waseem in July, but the state is charging him with assault.
Outside the court, chants of “Met police, shame, shame—all the crimes in your name” rang out.
After his hearing, Waseem told Socialist Worker, “It should’ve been nerve wracking, but the gallery was full of supporters. It gave me a lot of strength and hope.”
“The truth is it’s about the flag I had on me, it’s not even about me. The Met attacked me because of the Palestine flag. So we’re going to fight this all the way, and we’re going to win with everybody’s support.”
Waseem told the rally, “I pleaded not guilty in court today, and the court has given me a date for 13 March in the crown court. I haven’t assaulted anybody at all.”
One protester said, “The police didn’t get charged—that’s the issue. When the police do this and there’s no accountability, it’s bad.
After the protest outside the court, people marched to Bethnal Green police station to highlight the Metropolitan police’s brutality. Waseem is one of the many people the British state is targeting.
Around 300 rallied outside KCL university in central London and drowned out a counter-protest to chants of, “Israel is a terror state.”
At north London’s City and Islington College (Candi), workers and students showed solidarity with Palestine.
Bill, film and media student, told Socialist Worker, “I’m here because people out there are being slaughtered and the United States and Britain are not doing anything. They are giving Netanyahu all the weapons he wants and saying ‘do whatever you want’.
“It’s up to the people to go to Number 10 and the White House and say, ‘No. No more killing, no more violence.’”
Merdos, an Iranian sixth form lecturer, told Socialist Worker, “The solution should be that people come together in one state with religious freedom. People should be treated as citizens with equal rights.
“We must be against the US—they are hypocrites just supporting the Zionists.”
UCU union member Sean Vernell said that it’s “great that a ceasefire of sorts is going on”. “But the idea that Trump will turn Gaza into some riviera is an insult”.
He added that the arrests of Jamal and Nineham were “a serious offensive by the state on the right to protest”.
A 60-strong rally in the centre of Newcastle heard speakers from the Unite, Unison, UCU and NUJ unions, the Green Party and students.
Healthcare worker Shumel spoke about paramedic Khalil Al-Sharif, who was killed when Israel targeted an ambulance. He explained that both Palestinians in the West Bank and in Britain are facing attacks on their rights to protest.
He said, “We need to defend the right to protest and defend our colleagues in court on trumped up charges.
“Today it’s about Palestine but it will be anti-racism, climate change and workers’ rights tomorrow.”
Student Georgia said that Northumbria University has accepted money from arms company Lockheed Martin.“We have seen these partnerships across universities globally,” she added.
“Lockheed Martin is gloating about using knowledge from our university to make their weapons of war more efficient.
“We need to stand up together and say not in our universities, not in our workplace, not in our city and not in our world.
“This is a symptom of a sick system where educational institutes, workplaces and our government put profit before people.”
In Portsmouth, around 40 people joined a lunchtime protest to mark the workplace day of action.
Jon Woods, a member of the Unison union, told Socialist Worker, “The Palestine network at the civic offices is growing and people took Palestine flags for their desks. Social workers were once again well represented.”
He added, “Two workers who sit near each other expect to be told to take the flags down. Unison will support them and point out the Ukrainian flag flies outside the civic offices every day.
“How can you work and not be able express your horror at the genocide?”
In Oxford, around 60 students and workers joined a lunchtime rally. Trade unions included the Oxford University UCU union and its branch banner, Unite and Unison union health workers and PCS civil service workers’ union members.
Rhodes Scholars for Palestine, Stop The War, Oxford Action 4 Palestine and Parents 4 Palestine joined the rally.
Julie, a Palestine campaigner in the city, told Socialist Worker “We condemned the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and demand an end to arms sales to Israel.
“It finished on a rallying call to build the biggest possible turnout for Saturday’s national demonstration for Palestine.”
Karen from Manchester told Socialist Worker, “Greater Manchester mental health Unison ran a solidarity stall this morning, raising money for Medical Aid for Palestine as part of the day of action. We had a cake bake stall inside all day.
“This is a team that is out on strike over mental health staffing levels and understands that the same government that’s cutting mental health is funding genocide in Gaza.”
In Brighton, UCU member Christian told Socialist Worker, “There were protests held in both the city centre and at Brighton University. Unite union members were at the forefront of the city centre protest.
“At the university our protest was small, but there was a great response from those passing as everyone is horrified by what Trump is threatening.”
At Aberdeen university, around two dozen students protested for Palestine.
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