Adam Cochrane
Protests are taking place across Britain this week in opposition to Israel’s bombing of Gaza. At least 215 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured in sustained airstrikes that have levelled whole buildings.
Israeli forces have now warned 100,000 people to leave their homes in the beseiged and densely population Gaza strip, as they prepare for even more bombing.
The attacks have provoked anger across the world. In Britain momentum is building for national demonstrations in London and Glasgow on Saturday of this week.
A number of protests have targeted the BBC over its coverage of Gaza. Around 5,000 protested outside the BBC headquarters in central London on Tuesday evening.
Palestinian protester Zina Deniz told Socialist Worker, “It’s not fair that the BBC don’t report the news properly. Innocent children are dying, but they only report on the Israeli point of view.
“I have friends and family in Gaza who are suffering, and I will keep coming to the streets until Palestine is free.”
Thousands marched from central Manchester to the BBC’s other main headquarters in Salford on Saturday of last week.
More than 200 people marched on BBC Southampton on Tuesday, while BBC Radio Merseyside was the target of 200 protesters in Liverpool.
Activists in Bristol are holding daily pickets of the BBC building.
Oxford has seen two protests already–a protest of 200 outside the BBC building on Tuesday, and a march 700-strong through the city centre on Monday.
In Newcastle 600 people held a vigil at Grey’s monument. Hundreds attended a demonstration in Belfast city centre and in Bangor, North Wales, 100 protesters blew “bubbles not bombs” in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
There are further protests planned this week including on Thursday in South Shields, Tyneside and Guildford, Surrey.
In Scotland the focus is on building a national demonstration in Glasgow, after a large local protest there last week.
Local Palestine Solidarity Campaign groups organised many of the protests along with other groups such as Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al Aqsa, CND and the British Muslim Initiative.
A number of local groups have organised transport to the national demonstration. For further information go to palestinecampaign.org and stopwar.org.uk
London–assemble 12 noon, Downing Street
Glasgow–assemble 1pm, Buchanan Street
This piece was reprinted by RINF Independent News with permission or license.