By
Adrian Chan-Wyles
THOUSANDS
upon thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street last Saturday and
marched to the Israeli Embassy via Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, in
temperatures of around 30 degrees to protest at the latest Israeli onslaught
and invasion of Gaza.
British
Muslims from various ethnic groups and cultures joined Palestinians, people
from other countries, and many other British people, young and old, male and
female, able-bodied, and disabled. Despite a strong police presence, there was
no reported trouble.
Along
the route, occasionally devout Muslims would move to the side of the pavement,
or step into a local park and unroll their mat for prayer, while the elderly
and those with disabilities still made their way along the route, even though
they had fallen behind the official police-line marking the rear of the march,
and were even behind the army of well organised road-sweepers whose job it was
to clean-up the streets in its wake.
Placards
and posters called for Gaza to be free, and for Israel to change its policy and
stop behaving in a fascist, and highly destructive manner.
Despite
the continuous pro-Israeli British media, and total lack of impartiality from
the BBC, it is obvious that their propaganda is not working.
Multitudes
of intelligent and right-minded people marched through London, demonstrating
that no matter who has control of the state media, reality will still seep
through into the human mind and protests against lying and oppression will
emerge from the masses.
Perhaps
one of the most poignant events today, occurred outside Hyde Park, where a
small group of Jewish people representing the “Boycott Israeli Goods” (BIG)
campaign, unfurled a banner which said: “It’s Kosher to boycott Israeli Goods”
and “Say No To Injustice”.
Many
pro-Palestinian protestors thanked them for their presence and support, proving
that a protest against Israel is not necessarily a campaign against Jewish
people, nor motivated by any notions of anti-Semitism. This protest in London
should send shock waves through Tel Aviv, along with similar demonstrations
that have been happening in major towns and cities throughout the world.
An
Israeli spokesperson (speaking to the BBC World Service), recently justified
his country’s latest military incursion into Gaza, as being a product of
Israel’s right to legitimate “self-defence”.
In
the exercising of this right the Israeli military machine – led by tanks –
entered Gaza following a sustained aerial bombardment that left 200
Palestinians dead, and around 1200 severely wounded.
This
indiscriminate use of force has killed men, women, and children of all ages,
including those with disabilities who lacked the physical ability to attempt to
run away from the Israeli bombs and heavily armed assault troops.
Although
Hamas has fired rockets into Israel as a protest against Israeli aggression, it is a reported fact that only
one Israeli has died, and he was an Israeli soldier killed in the line of duty.
No Israeli citizens have died from the Hamas use of rockets in the recent
exchanges.
The
appalling situation facing the oppressed Palestinians has gripped the
imagination of progressive people around the world and has inspired one
demonstration after another, with each expressing an uncompromising solidarity
with the people of Gaza.
There
will be another protest outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington on Saturday
26th July.
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