Despite torrential rain in London on Saturday, 19th July around 100,000 people, including ICAHD UK supporters, took to the streets to demand Israel end the genocide, stop the arms trade, and prevent starvation in Gaza.
Posters were wrapped in cling film and masses of umbrellas, many in the colours of the Palestinian flags, made the march more colourful than ever. There were no complaints about the inconvenience of demonstrating in such wet conditions because everyone’s thoughts were concentrated on what the Gazans were suffering.
In the last few weeks, Israeli ministers have taken its genocide to another level with plans unveiled to build a “humanitarian city” in Gaza which is in effect a concentration camp. News of Israel’s military shooting Palestinians at aid centres, the starving children and our government’s complicity were reflected in the posters.
The demonstration happened at a time when the British government is increasing its attacks on the right to protest and there were many references to this repression. A sign was lit up saying that it was an offence to support a proscribed organisation and we all knew what that was about. Marchers felt that the state is going after the Palestine movement, trying to suppress it because it cannot justify its own action thus revealing its own weakness.
Amongst the speakers on the platform were Richard Burgon MP and Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK. Richard Burgon shouted out that we will build a global movement for sanctions as had happened during apartheid South Africa. He said that he had brought together 85 MPs and Lords to call for a full arms embargo, a total ban on trade with settlements, wider economic sanctions and to suspend the UK/Israel trade deal until Israel complies with international law.
Husam Zomlot said that Israel has normalized genocide, ethnic cleansing, mass murder, war crimes and crimes against humanity. He asked about our shared humanity and what are we without common values. Despite being in this bleakest of times, he said that the movement for Palestine is rising, and it is unstoppable.
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