Saturday, January 03, 2009

Protests against the slaughter in Gaza

I had a weird night and so didn't end up going to the national demo after all today, I feel suitably guilty. As an extremely lame substitute I thought I'd round up the reports;

From the BBC Wales, Scotland, elsewhere, Cambridge, Bristol, Devon, Hull, celebs, pics. The Independent on "skirmishes" with the police.

From Reuters on European demos, Al Jazeera, shoe throwing in London (Guardian), Israel (Jerusalem Post). Press TV says George Galloway has been injured by the police. Tel Aviv (via Derek). Video from Pip Hinman in Sydney.

Indymedia reports on Police violence, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Vienna and Berlin, Holland, Lancaster. John reports from Leeds. Manchester Greens (pics from Richard Searle). Demo pics from Edinburgh. Plymouth report.

You can find an early blog report from Andy C. Ah, now we have Liam, hot on his heels. More from... Louise (pics), Lenin, Derek. Sunny, Andy in York. Payam, James Hooper, Jon Rogers in London. Big Blue Meanie. Solomon. Charlie has Tony Benn footage.

Harry's Place (not entirely sympathetic), Iain Dale doesn't like us either.

Socialist Worker, Permanent Revolution. Stop the War.

Any snippets from protests you attended today, or links I've missed, more than welcome... In particualr I'd be interested in seeing links from the Kabul and Iraq demonstrations that I know have taken place but can't find reports from.

Meanwhile our Middle East Peace Envoy is on holiday. What a cock sucker. (via Justin)

18 comments:

Brian Candeland said...

Manchester GP website entry (with link to more detailed comment)
here

Derek Wall said...

I think sadly because the ground war has started you Jim will get more opportunities to demonstrate, I think there will be another national demonstration next saturday.

Jim Jepps said...

Thanks MG. And yes, Derek, sadly I think you're right.

Derek Wall said...

10,000 people who have marched for peace in Tel Aviv which is encourging, we should be supporting Gush Shalom, Rabbis for Human Rights, etc, etc...there are plenty of people in Israel who oppose the violence...perhaps Jim you can blog some more about these groups.

And the US Green Party especially in the form of Cynthia McKinney have done a tremendous job in supporting peace.

Brian Candeland said...

I see you've put Manchester Greens website in with the BBC coverage - should I be flattered or insulted?
Thanks for including it anyway

Jim Jepps said...

I've moved you to the Indymedia bit - which is probably more appropriate...

John Mullen said...

Here is a short report and photos from the demo in Agen in South West France. There were demos in over a dozen towns in France, and today there has been a demo *in favour* of the Israeli attack, which drew a few hundred people and got favourable press coverage.

For the demo report from 3 Jan see here http://johnmullenagen.blogspot.com/2009/01/photos-de-la-manifestation-pour-gaza.html

Rayyan said...

Iain Dale is a war-loving, soulless piece of shit. You can quote me on that. His rants against the people of Gaza have been pretty disgusting.

Phil said...

It should be a big one down in London this coming Saturday. Was there 50,000 on last satday's? And that was a *regional* affair. Could we be looking at 100,000 plus?

Jim Jepps said...

Rayyan: whilst I sympathise I prefer to hate the sin rather than the sinner. Each to their own of course.

Phil: I think you're right - this Sat's protest will be big - and I think angry in a real sense (rather than people just going grrr). Expect more argy bargy from the cops...

The number of significant local protests round the counttry has been v. impressive by the way.

bigbluemeanie said...

Thanks for the link.

I hope that the coming demo will also be big. I'm somewhat concerned that I have not received notification of this demo (or any of the last one) via my local Green Party.

Is there a reason? If there is anyone reading this who has "leadership contacts" could you give them a prod please?

Jim Jepps said...

No probs BBM.

I think that because the Greens don't have an activists culture (which has many positive sides to it) this can make us slow to react sometimes - or at least uneven.

As is the way with many of these things *we* are the leadership contacts. I jst put out a speculative email that we should message the Green Party facebook group (over 2,000 members, woo) with this info and got the (quite correct response) "Oh yes, and while you're doing that can you add these other things into the message too..."

So I did.

I guess the best thing to do is to send a polite email (or maybe phone if you're speaking terms) to your local party asking them to encourage the local supporters to get to the demo (and including details of how if you live far from London).

We have an all members national email going out this Wednesday - I'll ask our lovely int. comms person to include this (possibly as the top item if poss)

bigbluemeanie said...

Thanks Jim Jay, I have asked our local leadership to plug the march.

If you look at the lack of information and updates on our website and the lack of communication from our leadership you have to wonder what kind of party we are members of :-(

We should have had an immediate response to an issue like this.

Jim Jepps said...

Well, you'll be pleased to know it's going in the Wednesday email (I think it was anyway actually, so I'm not claiming resposnsbility for that)

I think the key thing is that the party isn't going to do anything for us - we have to use the party as a tool to promote (what I hope is) a better world.

Benjamin Solah said...

I was meant to offer a report on the Melbourne rally before, sorry for the delay.

It was 6000 strong compared to the 500 at the pro-Israeli demo down the road. The demo was lively and inspiring, full of loud chanting and the Arab youth were quite rebellious, often getting impatient with the calls for a peaceful rally from their elders.

Jim Jepps said...

Thanks Benjamin and John for those reports - it's mind boggling at how many local demos there were across the world...

James said...

Well if it upset Iain Dale and H*rry's place then we must have been doing SOMETHING right...

Jim Jepps said...

James - I was a bit confused by your comment. The something in caps implies (I think) you're saying people here think nothing was being done right - when it's clear we're very much for the protests.

I may well be being slow though and misreading it - that happens a lot. And more often the older I get.