'Unjust and unfair': Manchester's Palestine supporters occupy Piccadilly Gardens in protest over Israel
'Unjust and unfair': Manchester's Palestine supporters occupy Piccadilly Gardens in protest over Israel
Manchester protesters gathered in Piccadilly Gardens yesterday in the second of a series of demonstrations showing solidarity for Gaza against what some dubbed ‘Nazi-like’ Israeli behaviour.
The protest is a response to the failed ceasefire between Israel and Palestine which has resulted in more bombing of the region and civilian deaths.
Protests are spreading throughout the UK with London and Birmingham and Manchester raising awareness and support for the Free Palestine movement.
SOLIDARITY: Palestinian supporters congregate at Piccadilly Gardens
Bolton student Jade Ellis attended the event and was vocal in her support for the movement.
She told MM: “This isn’t a war, this is genocide. It is very much like Nazi Germany.
“It’s not right that kids are living in war conditions, day in day out, and it is despicable that the government are turning their backs on people who need our help.”
SIGN OF THE TIMES: One protestor came with her own flag
Yesterday’s protest was a follow-up to one held last weekend.
Manchester teacher and protest organiser Louis Brehony explained that they wanted to maintain a presence in the city centre.
She said: “We are calling for solidarity and support for the resistance of Palestinians. It is important to boycott, combined with resistance and anti-racist movement.”
FREE PALESTINE: One protestor shows his support
UK protesters are also encouraging a boycott of products from Israel in order to cut ties with the country and show opposition of their behaviour towards Palestine.
“It’s unjust and unfair,” explained 57-year-old Christopher Ayton, a teacher from Manchester.
“The Zionists have pushed them into a corner 26 miles long and 6 miles wide. It is the most populated place on Earth.
DEMANDS FOR FREEDOM: One of many signs at the protest
“For 20 or 30 years, which is most of my life, Palestinians have been victimised just for being Palestinians.
“Everyone should be treated equally – gay or straight, woman or man, I want world peace and equality.”
Christopher, along with many other protestors, believes that social media will play a huge role in affecting change in Palestine.
CONTROVERSIAL: Another banner at the protest
He said: “The Palestinians will see the support on social media. They will see that they are not alone and they will see that there is a way out.
“I want to show my support for the Palestinians – that’s the least I can do. We have got to try and start somewhere”.
It seems they’re not the only ones supporting the cause as Barbadian singer Rihanna tweeted the hashtag #FreePalestine to her 36.4m followers but swiftly deleted it instead replacing it with a less controversial tweet regarding the conflict.
Let's pray for peace and a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! Is there any hope?.... pic.twitter.com/jHD56KXkcu
— Rihanna (@rihanna) July 15, 2014
Comments
Racist communist scum siding with the Hamas terrorists again against the Jews, branding them zionists. Would the extremist SWP members brand all Muslims as Islamists?? Not a chance bunch of hypocrites. It worries me that far left anti-British radicals are teachers and able to push their communism onto children
Shut up Martin, you apologist for vile zionist murderers.
If Hamas stop trying to kill jews, sat down with Israel and negotiated land for peace they would get their state. But instead they choose to fight. Remember Israel pulled out of Gaza years ago and the people their decided to elect a terrorist organisation and now they are paying the price. There is was no occupation in Gaza but they decied to bombard Israel with rockets so what choice do Israel have? If 1000s of rockets were fired at Manchester every week you would expect your government to act. The only reason Israel controls the air and sea around Gaza is because if they did not their citizens would be even more at risk.
The blockade around Gaza is only there because Hamas choose terrorism over peace.
There is also a blockade on Gaza on the Egyptian border. Why do Hamas bombard Israel with rockets and not Egypt? The only answer is anti-semitism.
Ask yourself this:
What would happen if Israel put down its weapons and said "we will fight no more" - Hamas would kill every jewish man, woman and child.
Now ask yourself what would happen if Hamas said "we will fight no more" - there would be no more death on either side, negotiations would take place and the palastinians would get their state.
Utter nonsense. Israel were prepared to accept borders that represent less than 20% of the country as it is today, and how was that proposal met? With an intifada.
How many times have the Palestinian Authority abandoned talks when they were at an advanced stage, with the end in sight, only for them to later reply with rocket strikes or by sending suicide bombers into public places such as weddings, cafes, and markets?
How many times have they agreed to land swaps and then reneged on deals?
What happened to the burgeoning flower export infrastructure that Israel signed over to Palestine after one of the above mentioned land swaps? They burnt it to the ground.
And where has the worldwide condemnation of the ultra racist and genocidal rhetoric with has eminated from both Palestine and the rest of the Arab world?
The lies and hypocricy surrounding this conflict is quite astounding.
If the houses of God were removed from the equation then the mess caused by the Ottoman Empire and the North African Caliphate would be sorted out in about 5 minutes.