The demo was, coincidentally, the 22nd anniversary of the biggest march in British history – over the West’s second invasion of Iraq – and the number of the participants nearly matched it – coming as it did after British and international government and media’s continued complicity over the genocide. Trump’s declaration of intent to ‘take over’ the Gaza Strip and ethnically cleanse its people, further incensed the marchers who reached the American Embassy where they manifested all their displeasure.
This Palestine march also took place a month after the Met Police banned the last national Palestine protest (18 January) from assembling at or marching to the BBC, and violently arrested Stop the War’s vice chair and chief steward Chris Nineham during the protest, charging him under the Public Order Act.
In an unprecedented attack on the leadership of the Palestine coalition and the right to free assembly, the Met followed Chris’s arrest by also charging Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal.
For fifteen months, pro-Palestine marchers have been calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the genocide. On the 24th national demonstration, they demanded that the US take its hands off Gaza, that Israel stops its deadly raids in the occupied West Bank, along with its continued bombing across the Middle East, and that Britain stops arming Israel.
Among the speakers on Saturday’s Palestine march were renowned Palestinian activist Iyad Burnat, who travelled to the UK from the West Bank. For over 20 years, Iyad has led the village of Bil’in’s non-violent struggle in the occupied Palestinian territory. He is the head of the Bil’in Popular Committee against Israel’s illegal apartheid wall. Iyad’s story is featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Five Broken Cameras.
Other speakers at the Palestine march included Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, Michael Rosen, the author, poet and presenter, journalist Owen Jones, Palestinian activist, organiser and storyteller Jeanine Hourani, Eddie Dempsey, RMT senior assistant general secretary, Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, Hamza Stitan, Palestinian activist, Lindsey German, convenor at Stop the War coalition, Ben Jamal, director of Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, and the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zumlot.