Protests continue in support of Palestine

320 words, 2 minutes read time.

Protests and demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine unfolded across more than 50 locations in Britain on a recent Saturday. Notable events included the Big Birmingham Demo For Palestine, where around 10,000 protesters marched from Sparkhill and Alum Rock to St Martin’s Square in Birmingham, chanting slogans such as “Ceasefire now” and expressing discontent with figures like Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

Jeremy Corbyn addressed the crowd in Birmingham, emphasizing the global nature of the demonstrations and the need to stand with the Palestinian people. In Bristol, 3,000 people marched, and a speaker advocated for a one-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In Kirklees, West Yorkshire, approximately 1,000 people marched from Batley to Dewsbury. East London saw around 800 protesters from various boroughs joining marches organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Altab Ali park in Tower Hamlets hosted around 300 people, including health workers who emphasized the importance of collective action. Leanne Mohammed, standing against Wes Streeting in Ilford North, voiced the need to continue protesting against Israel’s actions. The demonstration moved from Altab Ali Park to Mile End Park, with support from passersby and residents along the route.

In south London, over 200 people marched from Camberwell to the Blue Fin building, targeting BAE’s intelligence office. Central London witnessed interruptions during a speech by Labour’s David Lammy, demanding a Gaza ceasefire. Simultaneously, Leeds and Manchester saw sizable marches, and Brighton featured a mass flash action inside a shopping center.

Protests extended beyond marches, with actions at Barclays banks in various locations, drawing attention to the bank’s financial ties to companies involved in Israel’s armed violence. Dorchester and Oxford witnessed bank occupations, and York campaigners displayed banners outside Barclays denouncing its funding of the Gaza conflict.

Barclays is slated to be a focal point in upcoming actions, with campaigners planning to target the bank over the next week, emphasizing its substantial financial involvement in companies linked to Israel’s military activities.