Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of London today in the biggest public protest yet in Britain against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
The march began in Hyde Park, where Speakers' Corner was turned into a sea of Palestinian flags and banners condemning Israel, before making its way to Kensington Gardens. There were scuffles outside the Israeli embassy as the march passed by the gates leading to its entrance.
Missiles were thrown at police guarding the way and a number of loud bangs – believed to be firecrackers – were heard as riot police drew batons and attempted to push the crowd back from the gates.
A number of younger masked demonstrators attempted to climb on to the gates, near Kensingon High Street, and hurled pieces of placards and other items at police lines.
Panic rippled through the crowd, which included young children, and a number of people fell to the ground amid the scuffles.
A Metropolitan police spokesman said: "A group of protesters outside the embassy of Israel started trying to push over the barriers placed there to protect the embassy. Protesters have also attempted to throw barriers and other missiles at police.
"Officers have been deployed in protective equipment as a precautionary measure after coming under attack from a small minority of protesters."
The march began largely peacefully and included many young British Muslims as well as members of political parties. The crowd listened to speakers including trade unionists, representatives of Palestinian exiles, and celebrity campaigners such as Brian Eno and Annie Lennox.
The Stop The War coalition, which organised today's demonstration, said it believed as many as 100,000 people were taking part in the rallies at Hyde Park and in Kensington Park Gardens.
Richard Elborne, from west London, stamped his feet against the cold and explained why he felt it was important to come with his daughter Louise, five, who had made her own placard calling for an end to the violence in Gaza.
"I've been following what has been happening closely and was always against the Israeli invasion but the bombing of this school really brought it home for me and was an escalation too far," he said.
Eaisha Tareen, a physiologist from Colchester who had travelled with members of her family to take part in the demonstration, said: "It is really unbelievable what is happening in Gaza but we are heartened by the solidarity people here are showing.
"We were coming here on the underground and met a Jewish lady who had written a letter to the newspapers condemning the Israeli action and we were really impressed by that. As you can see here today, it is not just Muslims – there are people from all parts of British life."
As well as the Stop The War Coalition, the British Muslim Initiative and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign were represented in the crowd.
The author Tariq Ali said: "You always have on any demonstration a group of people who get very angry and sometimes that comes out in violence, but for me the most appalling violence is happening in Gaza. A few punch-ups outside the Israeli embassy is neither here nor there."
a Jewish lady who had written a letter to the newspapers condemning the Israeli action and we were really impressed by that. As you can see here today, it is not just Muslims – there are people from all parts of British life.
What do you all think, though, will these protests make a difference?
Should I seek a source of law other than God, when it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (Qur'an) fully explained? And those whom We have given them the Book know that it has been sent down from the Lord with truth, so be not of those in doubt.
I starting to believe these global protests are the only thing who can make a difference at this point. In my little corner of the world the number protesting has doubled in a week. Even small villages announcing protest marching in this freezing climate. People are angry and there are no doubt about the message Stop the attack - now!!
I starting to believe these global protests are the only thing who can make a difference at this point. In my little corner of the world the number protesting has doubled in a week. Even small villages announcing protest marching in this freezing climate. People are angry and there are no doubt about the message Stop the attack - now!!
What do you all think, though, will these protests make a difference?
I believe they will. People are now looking at something they did not believe and are feeling betrayed, the demonstrations are showing much of this feeling of betrayal.
For over 60 years the Western world had strong Sympathy and empathy for Israel. This was based upon our seeing them as innocent victims and in need of our support to protect them. It was unimaginable that these victims of the horrors of Nazi Germany could react violently against anybody. We felt a very strong need to see that these victims had all the support they need to undo the injustices they faced going back to the time of the Pharaohs. There was a feeling of joy and jubilation in seeing what we believed to be oppressed people rise up and become a strong nation.
The events of the past few weeks have brought about a view of Israel that the Western World was not prepared to face. These demonstrations are presenting a picture Westerners did not want to see. The demonstrations are going to make a big impact, because now people will not be so naive as to accept things as being what they wanted them to be.
Questions are being raised in the public mind. The public mind set or better said in German, in the Weltgeist, eventually becomes majority opinion and steers political views to what the people will support.
I believe Israel has brought about it's own demise, and Israel as it existed last year will not be the same Israel next year. These demonstrations and protests are very powerful. The only thing that would end the current trend would be if any extremist groups decide to take an aggressivest and at this time. Now is the time for Hezbullah and Hamas to cast aside their military weapons and let truth be the weapon. The media will destroy Zionism much faster and at a lower cost than any act of war.
Let us now sit back and relax and let Zionism become the target of the world media.
Hopefully some of our Brothers that are weak in sabr do not "Snatch Defeat out of the jaws of Victory." By acting at a time when inaction is the best action.
2 million people in the Uk marched to stop the Iraq war. 1 million Iraqis are dead. I have never heard in history of these marches working especially before a war to so it. In fact when I hear '1 policeman was knocked out' - I feel for the policeman doing his job (he may have even been AGAINST the war in gaza!!). Why act like the Israelis and knock out an innocent guy?. If your car gets nicked you will be the first to call the cops.
Anyway now around 1000 Gazan's are dead.
Other methods seem to work. Boycotts like in Denmark achieved a victory. Sometimes going to parliment works.
I notice the protests take hours of preparation and actual protest time. Lots of sore throats due to shouting. Petitions take a quick signature. Boycotts mean literally do nothing but avoid products. A letter make take 30 mins to write to the MP.
I doubt the affectiveness of these rallies but I may be wrong.
I dont know how it is in other western countries, but in place where I live, the news in tv are quite fair, not supporting any side of the conflict. 65% of the citizens of my country think that the current war is to be blamed 50/50 on Israel and Hamas. But I guess that the lesftist media in Western Europe is biased against Israel. No wonder that so many Jews after 1967 left marxism and become neoconservatives.
Anyway, our tv has just showed how Hamas placed a rocket missiles on a school playground. Wondereful place for such weapon, indeed. Im sure that they put the safety of the pupils on 1 place.
Last edited by Amadeus85; 01-10-2009 at 06:47 PM.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
It will work. The politicians have their own way of valuate things. It is called money . They are afraid any financial agreement will suffer and their own prestige, and relations to other politicians in the world and so on. But the ordinary people do not value business agreements before the life of a child. That is what joins us. There are no cultures were a child’s life is of no value. But it is a movement growing from beneath by the ordinary people but it will eventually move up right to the top. So it will unfortunately take some time, but when it is built up it will be a very solid construction.
Today at the demonstration I silently started to cry when I noticed a Palestinian father with his family, looking out over the crowded market place. My tears fell when I notice a sudden light of - hope - in his eyes when he noticed how many people stood by waiting to join the march.
I pray nothing will happen that will make the wind change direction at this time.
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. They are afraid any financial agreement will suffer and their own prestige, and relations to other politicians in the world and so on. But the ordinary people do not value business agreements before the life of a child. That is what joins us. There are no cultures were a child’s life is of no value. But it is a movement growing from beneath by the ordinary people but it will eventually move up right to the top. So it will unfortunately take some time, but when it is built up it will be a very solid construction.
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