Gaza day of protest
Reports and photos from 1) Times of Israel, 2) photos only, 3) London Evening Standard, 4) RT and 5) telesurtv.nt.
Saturday, August 9, 2014. Photo by Leon Neal/AFP)
Third London mass protest for Gaza in one month
Tens of thousands march through British capital, demanding tougher line against Israel; protests in Paris too
BY AFP and Times of Israel
August 09, 2014
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold placards and wave Palestinian flags at a mass rally against Israel in London on Saturday, August 9, 2014. (photo credit: Leon Neal/AFP)Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold placards and wave Palestinian flags at a mass rally against Israel in London on Saturday, August 9, 2014. (photo credit: Leon Neal/AFP)NEWSROOM
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London on Saturday, demanding Britain take a tougher line against Israel over its military assault on Hamas in Gaza
The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign said 150,000 people attended the march, the third major demonstration for Gaza in London in the past four weeks.
Protesters packed the main shopping artery of Oxford Street, marching to the US embassy and on to Hyde Park, many of them chanting “Free, Free Palestine” and holding up banners saying “UK — Stop Arming Israel.”
The first two protests attracted at least 10,000 people each, according to police, although organiszrs said it was more like 50,000 each time. Police declined to give a number for Saturday’s event.
Lindsey German, convener of Stop the War Coalition, an umbrella group of NGOs, said: “The level of anger is unprecedented. The British government has remained silent whilst Israeli aerial bombardment and a ground incursion in Gaza has killed thousands. We are calling for an end to the massacre and the recall of the UK parliament. Our government must be forced to end its support for Israel’s siege of Gaza.”
Almost 2,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the past month’s fighting. Israel says 750-1,000 of the dead are Hamas and other gunmen. It also blames Hamas for all civilian fatalities, since Hamas set up its rocket-launchers, tunnel openings and other elements of its war machine in Gaza neighborhoods and uses Gazans as “human shields.” Israel has lost 64 soldiers and three civilians in the fighting. Eleven of the soldiers were killed by Hamas gunmen emerging from cross-border tunnels dug under the Israeli border. Hamas has fired over 3,000 rockets at Israel, including some 600 from close to schools, mosques and other civilian facilities, the Israeli army says.
There were also fresh protests in Paris, which has seen several demonstrations related to the war in recent weeks.
Several thousand people took part in the march, calling for the end of “Israeli aggression”, with a heavy police presence in place to prevent the violence seen at earlier protests.
In Britain, the chairman of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Hugh Lanning, told AFP recent turnouts had been “amazing”.
“That level of support we have never seen before… The world supports Palestine,” he said.
Sayeeda Warsi, a Foreign Office minister and the first Muslim to sit in the British cabinet, dramatically resigned on Tuesday over what she said was the government’s “morally indefensible” policy on Gaza.
London, UK, from London Palestine action(https://www.facebook.com/londonpalestineaction). The group then protested at two branches of Barclays Bank in Central London against the bank’s investment in Elbit, Lockheed Martin and Textron, companies involved in the supply of weapons to Israel.
Prime Minister David Cameron said he regretted her decision, and said his government had expressed grave concern over the civilian casualties of the war and consistently called for a ceasefire.
On Saturday, Cameron announced that medical experts from the state-run National Health Service (NHS) would be deployed to the region within 48 hours.
“The conflict in Gaza has taken a terrible toll. The UK has been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts to help those affected and it is right that we see what more we can do,” he said.
Meanwhile, a public appeal for aid for Gaza by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), on behalf of a number of British charities, had raised £4.5 million ($7.5 million, 5.6 million euros) since its launch on Friday.
Below, Tokyo, Japan
US’s national demonstration, New York city, August 9th, 2014. Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images/AFP
Cape Town, South Africa. SA Free Palestine estimated over 200,000 joined the protest. The lowest estimate was 50,000
Santiago, Chile, August 9th, 2014.
Madrid, July 31st, 2014. Four days later the Spanish government decided to temporarily freeze arms and military technology exports to Israel over the offensive in the Gaza Strip. Photo by AP.
In Potsdamer Platz Berlin, August 2nd, 2014, protestors hold balloons in the Palestinian colopurs and display ‘coffins’ representing the dead in Gaza. Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images Europe.
Paris, tweeted by the French BDS campaign.
Washington DC, July 9th, 2014. Tweeted by Code Pink, slogan “Not another nickel, not another dime, NO more money for Israel’s Crimes!.
Some 10,000 activists converged on the White House in Washington, D.C. last weekend [August 2nd, 2014] to protest Israel’s offensive on Gaza. Politico reported that the event may have been “the largest pro-Palestinian march to take place in the United States.” At least two protesters were arrested, one for “climbing a light pole.” Photo and report by Ryan Rodrick Beiler, +972
Marseille, August 9th, 2014, Photo tweeted by “toufika13.
Gaza protest: Tens of thousands call for end of conflict during march through London
London Evening Standard
August 09, 2014
Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London today in protest at the “massacre” of civilians in Gaza.
Protesters gathered for the demonstration in the West End, which was organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War.
Chants of “Free, Free, Palestine” were shouted as the march moved from outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House towards its final destination of Hyde Park, where speakers including Respect MP George Galloway and Labour MP Diane Abbott were due to address the crowds.
Photo tweeted by Mohamed Madi, 2.59 August 9th.
But there were concerns that members of the Jewish community who had joined the march felt intimidated while others had stayed at home because they were too afraid to attend today’s protest.
Dan Rosenberg, 43, a Jewish stay-at-home father-of-two, said he is appalled at the “horrific” images of dead bodies and bombed-out homes being beamed out of Gaza.
He said that while many of his Jewish friends felt the same, the “hatred” and extreme attitudes which has coloured much of the discussion about the conflict had left them too afraid to join the throng of protesters.
Mr Rosenberg, from Finchley in north London, said: “It is horrific what is going on in Gaza. It is collective punishment. I don’t know how any human being can stand back while this is happening.
“But it is difficult being here. We have seen the anti-Semitic attitudes and you feel very threatened and scared, but we feel we have to stand up and represent.
“Even standing here we feel quite uncomfortable. You hear people say they think the Jews run the media. Those beliefs are unpleasant, ignorant and racist.
“I have Jewish friends who wanted to come but they felt uncomfortable being here.”
Tweeted by Jack Moore @JFXM, The view of the #Gaza protest taking place in London right now. Taken from roof of the BBC. 1.52.
Pupils from Ed Miliband’s old school, Haverstock, in Chalk Farm, north London, joined the march.
Yasmin Rackal, 17, said: “People shouldn’t stand by and watch an injustice. I have little brothers and sisters and if I was in that situation I would want people globally to fight for me.”
Stop the War urged people to “fill the streets of London with a huge outcry at the carnage” in a call to action before today’s demonstration.
It was also revealed today that a public appeal for money to tackle Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has raised more than £4.5m in less than 24 hours.
The Disasters Emergency Committee’s Gaza Criss Appeal was publicised by all major TV networks on Friday night, with the government matching pound for pound the first £2m donated to the cause.
The committee’s chief executive, Saleh Saeed, said: “The funds are desperately needed, with ongoing fighting in Gaza creating an unbearable situation for families and children. Despite the end of the ceasefire, aid is getting through … but with the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, they urgently need more money to scale up their life-saving work.”
#GazaDayofRage: Tens of thousands take to streets worldwide in support of Palestinians
By RT
August 09, 2014
People across the globe have gathered to support the plight of Gaza, with the most impressive turnout taking place in London. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict a month ago, over 1,800 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have been killed.
The calls to rally came from the International Solidarity Movement, Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Stop the War coalition.
The latter issued a statement on its website to Londoners, urging for “the largest UK demonstration for Gaza,” and listing the reasons why Londoners should take part.
“A month of the world’s fifth most powerful military force bombarding an area no bigger than the Isle of Wight has killed almost 2000 Palestinians and injured 10,000 more. No one and nothing has been safe from Israel’s war crimes: 80 percent of the dead are civilians, over 400 of them children — women, the disabled, the elderly, the infirm, all slaughtered by Israel’s indiscriminate bombing with missiles and shells,” Stop the War coalition declared on its website.
The International Solidarity Movement also launched an online rallying call, in Arabic, English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.
The London march kicked off at 1 pm, with around 20,000 gathering in front of BBC Broadcasting House and marching in central London, starting from Oxford Street. The organizers plan to end the march and rally in Hyde Park around 5pm.
“The MPS is working closely with organizers and partners to ensure the march passes off peacefully and protesters stay safe. There will be police liaison officers on duty throughout the event linking in and engaging with the demonstrators,” the Metropolitan police stated on its website.
Also, police said that there would be traffic disruptions in the area.
“In addition to the march route, it will be necessary to close a number of roads around the Oxford Street area. This will undoubtedly cause significant traffic, crowd and business disruption in the vicinity. There will also be an increase in noise levels. Transport hubs will be busier than usual.”
The march is happening in concert with a public appeal for money to help the victims of Israel’s attacks on Gaza that has raised more than £4.5 million in less than 24 hours, The Guardian reported.
In Capetown, South Africa, tens of thousands rallied in support of Gaza. It’s one of the biggest rallies the city has seen in decades, according to local the Iol news website.
“We estimate there are well over 30,000 people, and the figure could be as high as 50,000,” Cape Town’s executive director safety and security Richard Bosman told the South African Press Association.
Melomed 24 Ambulance Services operations manager, Shadley Abrahams, said the march had been peaceful.
The area near the South African parliament was packed with demonstrators, chanting, singing, and shouting, according to the local portal Eye Witness news. The protesters held banners, saying “stop the slaughter”, and “boycott apartheid Israel.”
Melbourne, Tweeted by Kim Bullimore @rafiqa65
In Australia, the country’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, have seen the gatherings of up to 2,000 people.
Sheets of paper carrying the names of those killed in the Gaza conflict were stuck to windows and walls of the DFAT building.
People also coated their hands in red paint, coordinator Kim Bullimore from the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid group told AAP.
The event was peaceful and “visual” but also a vocal protest, Ms Bullimore said.
Tweeted by Zainab Jamil @RealZainabJamil, An Israeli protester holds a placard against Israel’s actions in #Gaza in #Melbourne,#Australia on August 9, 2014.
Greens party leader Adam Bandt declared that the country’s premier, Tony Abbott, should put pressure on US President Barack Obama to help stop the “massacre” in Gaza.
“Tony Abbott should pick up the phone to Barack Obama and say, `look, we will not let you fire your rockets from our ships for so long as you are sending arms during a ceasefire to the Israeli government’,” he said, as quoted by The Australian.
In Oman, tweeted by noah @se7enheaven_elf, From #Oman with #love #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack #SaveGaza #Palestine #mikopeled #usa #uk #newyork #london #paris 8:20 AM – 9 Aug 2014
In Iran, thousands of doctors, nurses and hospital staff expressed support for the Palestinian civilians, especially the women and children of Gaza.
Rallies also took place in Canada, Oman, Spain, Malaysia, and many other countries.
Israel renewed strikes on Gaza on Saturday – around 30 air strikes were carried out in the area. Five Palestinians were killed. The most recent 72-hour truce ended on Friday morning.
Latin Americans Renew Their Protests against Israel
By telesurtv.net
August 10, 2014
People around the world again expressed their support to People of Gaza and condemned the violent and disproportionate Israeli Attacks.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in several cities of France, Germany, U.K., U.S., Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, South Africa, India, Iran and Yemen to voice their outrage at the Israeli regime’s massacre of innocent Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
About 5,000 people marched trough the main streets of the German capital Berlin. Various personalities participated in the rally and they read a manifiesto that was signed by all the attendees, demanding the end of the Israeli attacks.
In London, a peaceful protest was organized by the Stop The War coalition. According to police, more than 20,000 people marched from the U.S. Embassy to Hyde Park. Families with children and members of Jewish groups were among the demonstrators, who carried Palestinian flags and banners calling for an end to the civilian deaths in Gaza.
In South Africa, an estimated 50,000 people took to the streets of Cape Town, led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in what the authorities called the biggest post-apartheid rally the city has seen. Demonstrators called for peace and appealed to President Jacob Zuma and the South African government to stop selling arms to Israel.
In Santiago, Chile, 15,000 protestors surrounded the Israeli Embassy to protest the invasion, according to official reports. Protestors glued photos of dead Gazan children to the wall´s of the diplomatic mission.
The government of President Michelle Bachelet has summoned its ambassador in Tel Aviv and has issued several statements demanding the end of the disproportionate Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Pro-Palestinian rallies also took place in Paris and in Marseille on Saturday, despite the ban imposed by the French government. The protesters there marched through the main streets of both cities to condemn the genocide perpetrated by Tel Aviv in the besieged territory.
Participants in the French rallies shouted anti-Zionist slogans and brandished placards and flags to express their rejection to Israel’s offensive.
In Mexico, hundreds of people protested outside the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City. A group of children shouted “we are kids and we want peace.” The mobilization was carried out peacefully.
In the same line, a group of pro-Palestinians gathered outside the Withe House to demand the U.S. government to stop supporting what they called a “genocide” against innocents in Gaza.
According to Palestinian health officials, the overall Palestinian death toll from brutal Israeli assaults has reached 1,915, most of which are civilians. Nearly 10,000 others have also been wounded in the attacks.
International organizations reported that at least 450 Palestinian children have been killed so far in the Israeli violent offensive against the impoverished enclave.
Emergency services in Gaza say nine more people, including a child, have been killed in fresh Israeli assaults on the coastal sliver. The Palestinian Interior Ministry has also reported that the Israeli military carried out 50 airstrikes, destroying three more mosques on Saturday.
Links to international protests, July 11-13, 2014
People from every continent stand up for Palestinians
Protest against Israel’s war on Gaza draws in crowds