Ahead of next Saturday’s national rally in London against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, dozens of protests were held over the weekend in towns and cities across Britain. The demonstrations also marked the upcoming Nakba Day (“The Catastrophe”) on May 15. This remembers the permanent displacement of the Palestinian people following Israel’s establishment.
The protests were some of the largest yet, with demonstrators opposing Israel’s plan for a full-scale invasion of Rafah. In Edinburgh up to 2,000 protested and around 500 attended in Glasgow. In Bristol, around 1,000 marched through the city centre. Rallies were also held in Liverpool, Sheffield and Bournemouth.
Many of the demonstrators were students who have set up encampments at universities nationwide, in solidarity with those in the United States and other countries.
Liverpool
A North West Regional Demonstration for Palestine was held in Liverpool, joined by around 1,000 people. Protesters assembled at the Metropolitan Cathedral and marched through the city centre for a rally at St George’s Hall. Leading off the demonstration were students from the University of Liverpool who have set up an encampment.
Angela opposed the refusal of the trade unions to mobilise mass protest action against the genocide, “I’m absolutely disgusted with our leaders, our politicians, our union officials... they are very fully complicit in it really”.
Student press officer Mark said, “If people stop going to work, the country would be shut down... if that was mobilised a lot would change in a day”.
Iman said, “Capitalism needs to come to an end ... this is not working ... It’s time to shut it all down, there’s more of us than there is of them”.
Commenting on the violent attacks by the police on student encampments in the US, Storm said, “I think it’s horrible ... as young people I think it’s important to show the world what side we’re on ...”
Jude said of the absence of the trade unions from the demonstrations against the genocide, “I’m a Unite member myself and Sharon Graham is useless as a Unite leader ... at one time ... all the unions would be out with banners”.
Sheffield
Around 500 people gathered in Endcliffe Park and marched to City Hall where a rally was held.
Hanna, a performer, said: “I think once people stop getting cross about students occupying campuses and start getting cross about the Israel occupying Palestine we might get somewhere.”
Toby said, “Workers in communities around the world are taking action. Older generations can see the tragedy of the Vietnam war. This is the same struggle against US imperialism.”
Bournemouth
Around 400 people marched in Bournemouth against Israel’s genocide, the largest protest in the town since the invasion of Gaza last October. Starting from Bournemouth Square, they marched via Bournemouth Gardens to the pier where a rally was held.
Speaking about the global movement against the war agenda of the imperialist governments, Bakr said: “As you can see with all the universities in America, and what’s happening in the UK and all these demonstrations all over the world, [it] shows that the whole world stands for Palestine… and the governments are not representing us”.
Asked for his thoughts on the Labour Party’s support for Israel’s destruction of Gaza, Ben said: “Well, they’re exactly the same as the Tories aren’t they. It’s ridiculous how similar the two main parties in Britain are. [Labour leader] Keir Starmer’s response to everything that has happened in Palestine has been pathetic. And it will be called for in the history books as a damning indictment of our political landscape… it is complicity in genocide”