London/PNN / Report by Roddy Keenan- 

‘In our thousands in our millions, we are all Palestinians’. The sound of solidarity resonated across central London on Saturday, as over 100,000 people demonstrated in support of the people of Gaza and in opposition to the medieval siege and genocide now being perpetrated on Gazans by the Israeli regime.

The demonstration began with an assembly outside the BBC, the British state media, where the participants made their views known regarding the organisation's pro-Israeli bias and its perennial and endless misreporting of the situation in Occupied Palestine. From there, the tens of thousands of men, women and children, made their way through the streets of London amidst a sea of Palestinian flags, and to the sound of chants and songs of support for those living, and sadly dying, under Israeli tyranny. 

At the end of the march, a rally took place outside the gates of Downing Street, the residence of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Speaker after speaker took to the stage to slam the Israeli slaughter of innocents, the British government’s support of a policy of genocide, and the complicity of western governments with the murderous collective punishment being meted out by Israel on the people of Gaza.

Describing the horror in Gaza as ‘indescribable’, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, spoke of the fact that, while the official casualty figures were already high, these numbers would be much higher by the end of the brutality.

‘Israel is indiscriminately bombing civilian infrastructure, homes, hospitals, schools, entire neighbourhoods, and even those fleeing the massacre,’ the ambassador told the tens of thousands gathered outside Downing Street. ‘This is a war crime,’ he declared.

Reminding the demonstrators that there were 2.3 million Palestinans in Gaza, he pointed out that ‘ 1.1 million children in Gaza are being left without food, without medicine, without anywhere to go.’

‘This is a crime against humanity,’ thundered Ambassador Zomlot, who personally lost seven family members last week to the Israeli murder machine.

Another speaker was Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labour Party, who proclaimed his support for the demonstrators' cause and expressed his and Palestinian supporters’ determination to continue to stand up and speak out until the barbarism in Gaza and the Israeli occupation ends.

‘We will carry on demonstrating,’ Corbyn vowed, ‘as long as it takes to bring about peace and to bring about recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people that have been denied for so long’.

Despite a number of local Palestinian support events taking place across England, Scotland, and Wales, many travelled to London to take their message directly to the heart of the regime from outside the gates of Downing Street. 

One of those who attended was Sufiya, who hails from Bahrain, but had travelled down from the West Midlands in England. Sufiya explained why she had made the journey.

‘‘People are dying in Gaza while the world stays silent. But silence is not acceptable any more,’ Sufiya told PNN. ‘Death is taking place right in front of us, including the killing of children. It is time to make a stand, and standing alongside our brothers and sisters who are dying in Gaza is the least that we can do.’

Haia, originally from Jordan, also travelled to London from the Midlands to make her voice heard.

‘I am here as a human being, to support my fellow human beings in Palestine. They deserve to be able to live their lives just as we all do,’ Haia explained. ‘The world must accept that Palestinians have a right to live in peace on their land, but also to recognise that their land has been stolen.’

Haia added that she felt it was vital to attend Saturday’s demonstration. ‘Borders may separate us, but our hearts are united. I feel it is my responsibility and my duty to raise my voice, to stand up for justice, for peace, and for a Free Palestine.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, there were demonstrations in towns and cities throughout the country, including Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway and Derry, as the Irish public once again came out to show its solidarity with their Palestinian brothers and sisters.

The events across the UK and Ireland, and the large numbers that attended to express their support for the Palestinian people and their opposition to the Israeli genocide, demonstrated that despite the best efforts of governments and media, people will not be fooled.

They know the truth of what is happening in Palestine. They know who is responsible for the persecution, destruction and death that has been perpetrated on the Palestinian people for 75 years. They know who the real oppressor is. And they will not be silenced.