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+--- Thread: Largest anti war protest so far in London (/showthread.php?tid=2698)
Largest anti war protest so far in London - Lilith7 - 12-11-2023
While its good to see this war in Gaza being protested, its a great pity that the far right in the UK have become involved. The UK govt should be calling for an immedite ceasefire.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/11/thousands-join-pro-palestine-march-in-london
"Hundreds of thousands of people have marched in central London chanting ÔÇ£Stop bombing GazaÔÇØ and ÔÇ£Ceasefire nowÔÇØ in the largest Palestine solidarity demonstration held in the country so far.
Police estimate that about 300,000 demonstrators joined the march on Saturday, which fell on the same day as the annual Armistice Day commemorations marking the end of World War I and honouring those killed in military action.
Ahead of the event, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had called its timing ÔÇ£disrespectfulÔÇØ.
ÔÇ£These are huge numbers, and itÔÇÖs unprecedented,ÔÇØ said Al JazeeraÔÇÖs Paul Brennan, reporting from the march.
ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs a message to the British government as well, who tried to have this march banned by the police.ÔÇØ
The ÔÇ£National March for PalestineÔÇØ was the latest┬áin a series of rallies┬áin the British capital to show support for the Palestinians since Israel launched an air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip following Palestinian group HamasÔÇÖs attacks on southern Israel on October 7."https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/11/hundreds-of-thousands-rally-for-gaza-in-london-as-police-arrest-far-right-protesters
"Hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully through central London yesterday to protest against IsraelÔÇÖs continued bombardment of Gaza, following a week of intense political debate over the policing of sensitive demonstrations.
The Metropolitan Police said around 300,000 people had converged on the capital from all parts of the country, while organisers of the pro-Palestinian event put the number closer to 800,000 and claimed it was one of the biggest marches in British history.
The attendance will add to political pressure on both the prime minister Rishi Sunak and the Labour leader Keir Starmer to back calls for a ceasefire in the conflict, which began after a Hamas terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October, murdering 1,200 Israelis and taking around 240 hostages.
GazaÔÇÖs Hamas-run health ministry said on Friday that IsraelÔÇÖs relentless retaliatory bombardment had killed 11,078 people in the territory, while 1.5 million had fled their homes.
The march took place amid heightened tension between the Met police and┬áSuella Braverman, the home secretary, who last week accused the force of showing bias when it came to demonstrations and of favouring left-wing causes and what she called pro-Palestinian ÔÇ£mobsÔÇØ.
On Saturday morning, far-right counter-protesters had clashed with police near the Cenotaph in Whitehall, ahead of an Armistice Day service. Scuffles broke out as police attempted to stop a crowd of far-right activists, Islamophobes and football supporters carrying St GeorgeÔÇÖs flags marching along the Embankment towards Whitehall shortly after 10am.
The group, which had been chanting ÔÇ£England til I dieÔÇØ pushed through the police barrier, with some shouting ÔÇ£letÔÇÖs have themÔÇØ as officers hit out with batons. Further clashes took place in Chinatown with counter-protesters chanting: ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre not English any moreÔÇØ towards officers. The Met said officers had ÔÇ£faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbersÔÇØ.
Tommy Robinson, founder and former leader of the far-right English Defence League, was seen among the crowds protesters.
There were further clashes into the evening, including a crowd of roughly 150 rightwing protesters in Parliament Square. According to the BBC, an offensive chant about Allah was chanted and a Palestinian flag was ripped up. By Saturday night, police said there had been 126 arrests and nine officers had been hurt during the clashes.
Met assistant commissioner Matt Twist said the violence from rightwing protesters towards the police ÔÇ£was extraordinary and deeply concerningÔÇØ. He said the ÔÇ£intense debate about protest and policingÔÇØ had contributed to an increase in tensions.
Rachel Solnick, a PhD student on the march, said: ÔÇ£I feel really appalled by how some of the framing around liberation for Palestine has been as if thereÔÇÖs an opposition, or some kind of binary between Jewish safety and Palestinian safety. I absolutely disagree with that framing.
ÔÇ£I think that loads of us who have Jewish ancestry feel really strongly that what is taking place in Palestine is ethnic cleansing and we donÔÇÖt want it to happen in our names. It feels so important to gather here in numbers, as Jews and as members of the British public in general, to counter that narrative.ÔÇØ
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Olive - 12-11-2023
"The group, which had been chanting ÔÇ£England til I dieÔÇØ pushed through the police barrier, with some shouting ÔÇ£letÔÇÖs have themÔÇØ as officers hit out with batons. Further clashes took place in Chinatown with counter-protesters chanting: ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre not English any moreÔÇØ towards officers. The Met said officers had ÔÇ£faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbersÔÇØ
Tommy Robinson, founder and former leader of the far-right English Defence League, was seen among the crowds protesters."
 
Shame on them.   Dreadful.   I have friends who were in that rally in support of Palestine.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Wainuiguy - 12-11-2023
Very disrespectful to have the demonstration on Armistice Day. Both sides.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Lilith7 - 13-11-2023
(12-11-2023, 07:33 PM)Olive Wrote: "The group, which had been chanting ÔÇ£England til I dieÔÇØ pushed through the police barrier, with some shouting ÔÇ£letÔÇÖs have themÔÇØ as officers hit out with batons. Further clashes took place in Chinatown with counter-protesters chanting: ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre not English any moreÔÇØ towards officers. The Met said officers had ÔÇ£faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbersÔÇØ
Tommy Robinson, founder and former leader of the far-right English Defence League, was seen among the crowds protesters."
 
Shame on them.   Dreadful.   I have friends who were in that rally in support of Palestine.
Absolutely; it was a peaceful protest & that lot should have kept out of it rather than trying to cause trouble. And really, what better day to protest than Armistice day; no one wants another war like that one.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Wainuiguy - 13-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 10:40 AM)Lilith7 Wrote:(12-11-2023, 07:33 PM)Olive Wrote: "The group, which had been chanting ÔÇ£England til I dieÔÇØ pushed through the police barrier, with some shouting ÔÇ£letÔÇÖs have themÔÇØ as officers hit out with batons. Further clashes took place in Chinatown with counter-protesters chanting: ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre not English any moreÔÇØ towards officers. The Met said officers had ÔÇ£faced aggression from counter-protesters who are in the area in significant numbersÔÇØ
Tommy Robinson, founder and former leader of the far-right English Defence League, was seen among the crowds protesters."
 
Shame on them.   Dreadful.   I have friends who were in that rally in support of Palestine.
Absolutely; it was a peaceful protest & that lot should have kept out of it rather than trying to cause trouble. And really, what better day to protest than Armistice day; no one wants another war like that one.
What better day......any other day except the one that is there to remember those who fought and died in WW1.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Lilith7 - 13-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 11:50 AM)Wainuiguy Wrote:(13-11-2023, 10:40 AM)Lilith7 Wrote: Absolutely; it was a peaceful protest & that lot should have kept out of it rather than trying to cause trouble. And really, what better day to protest than Armistice day; no one wants another war like that one.
What better day......any other day except the one that is there to remember those who fought and died in WW1.
Precisely the reason to do so; remembering what can happen, what it can cost every country in lives lost.
Although the arms manufacturers & undertakers do very well from it.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - king1 - 13-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 11:50 AM)Wainuiguy Wrote:i'm thinking those who fought and died in WW1 would be turning in their graves if they knew what was happening...  I'm fairly sure they wouldn't mind a protest against another war(13-11-2023, 10:40 AM)Lilith7 Wrote: Absolutely; it was a peaceful protest & that lot should have kept out of it rather than trying to cause trouble. And really, what better day to protest than Armistice day; no one wants another war like that one.
What better day......any other day except the one that is there to remember those who fought and died in WW1.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Lilith7 - 13-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 03:45 PM)king1 Wrote:(13-11-2023, 11:50 AM)Wainuiguy Wrote: What better day......any other day except the one that is there to remember those who fought and died in WW1.i'm thinking those who fought and died in WW1 would be turning in their graves if they knew what was happening...  I'm fairly sure they wouldn't mind a protest against another war
The world peace movement increased during & after both WW1 & WW2 as more people understood exactly what warfare in their time meant.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Wainuiguy - 13-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 02:18 PM)Lilith7 Wrote:(13-11-2023, 11:50 AM)Wainuiguy Wrote: What better day......any other day except the one that is there to remember those who fought and died in WW1.
Precisely the reason to do so; remembering what can happen, what it can cost every country in lives lost.
Although the arms manufacturers & undertakers do very well from it.
Perhaps a sentiment that should be directed towards Hamas seeing as how they kicked off this latest round of insanity.
RE: Largest anti war protest so far in London - Lilith7 - 14-11-2023
(13-11-2023, 07:30 PM)Wainuiguy Wrote:(13-11-2023, 02:18 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: Precisely the reason to do so; remembering what can happen, what it can cost every country in lives lost.
Although the arms manufacturers & undertakers do very well from it.
Perhaps a sentiment that should be directed towards Hamas seeing as how they kicked off this latest round of insanity.
Both sides are to blame in this & while Hamas started this latest lot it didn't happen without provocation.