British/Australian doctor who had worked in Gaza, Mohammed Mustafa spoke wearing the scrubs that he wore in Gaza, saying: ‘These scrubs I’m wearing carry the blood of those I could not save in Gaza.
‘Women, children, patients whose names I’ll never forget. I wear them here because they can no longer speak, and someone must.
‘I had a phone call the other day that a member of my family queuing for food in Gaza had been killed.
‘He wasn’t holding a weapon. He wasn’t on the frontlines. He just wanted to feed his children. This is not a tragedy, it’s a policy.
‘Mothers are grinding animal food, mixing with dirty water and calling it dinner.
‘I was denied entry into Gaza, not because of what I did in hospitals, but because I told the truth. But they will never take my voice. And today, I raise it for Gaza, for those still holding on, and those who never made it.
‘I have now been refused entry into Gaza because I have refused to cover things up.
‘This fight isn’t just in Gaza it is here too.
‘The British people have turned this protest into the biggest in history. Let justice be louder than genocide.’
Singer Nadine Shah condemned the government’s attack on musicians whilst refusing to attack Israeli genocide.
Fares Amer from the Palestinian Forum in Britain demanded the government end its complicity in genocide and that Palestine must be free ‘From the River to the Sea.’
He said: ‘The Palestinian Forum in Britain has joined the rest of the Palestine Solidarity Coalition today in one of the largest marches in recent history to protest the ongoing starvation of the Palestinian people, demanding that the United Kingdom does everything in its power to stop the starvation, stop arming Israel, and end the genocide.’
Ahmad Baker, a Palestinian nurse and activist, paid tribute to the 1,580 Palestinian health workers killed in Israeli attacks, saying: ‘My heroes. My role models. I feel elevated to call them my colleagues, and devastated to know they were murdered in plain sight.
‘They made the impossible real, a live-streamed genocide. But if they can do that, so can we. We will see Netanyahu in The Hague. And we will see a free Palestine.’
Leanne Mohamad, who stood against and nearly defeated Les Streeting in the general election last year, said: ‘We are here to mourn the thousands who have been murdered, and to honour the courage of those still standing.
‘But we are also here to demand action, because silence is complicity, and Britain’s silence is deafening. If our leaders won’t speak up, then we will speak louder.
‘You are the conscience of the country that is why the government is afraid of you.
‘Every family is starving in Gaza. Gaza is starving. Dreams have been reduced to being about bread.
‘Those in power do see and hear but they choose complicity. We will not let them get away with it.
‘This movement is growing and we will be the generation to end this oppression.’
Steve O’Connell from Unite the union said: ‘Israel is committing genocide.
‘At our conference last week a delegate from the West Midlands spoke about 13 members from his family who had been killed in Gaza. We were all really moved.
‘Our policy is for an immediate ceasefire and full arms embargo. Any worker who refuses to to handle goods in their workplace we will back you 100 per cent.
‘Labour must recognise the state of Palestine immediately.’
Jeremy Corbyn told the rally: ‘We are part of a global movement like those who campaigned against the Vietnam war and against apartheid.’
Ruth Lukom, from the Jewish Socialist Group, said: ‘Last Thursday, activists and community groups from across Waltham Forest came to the town hall. Our coalition is called “A Fairer Waltham Forest”.
‘Overlooking us were half-built luxury apartment blocks which will be unaffordable to most people in the borough.
‘Why is there no money for social housing in your borough? Why are they cutting provision for special educational needs or facilities for adults with learning disabilities. Why are they selling public green spaces to private developers ?
‘And what has this to do with the genocide in Gaza?
‘Political choices have been made to starve local authorities of the funds they need to maintain essential services. Our council has a debt of £23 million. Instead our government has chosen to massively increase our defence budget.
‘In July 2024 our council agreed to divest its pension fund from arms trade investments. This multibillion pound pension is managed by the London Collective Investment Vehicle which says “it has to remain politically neutral and consistent with messaging from central government”.
‘We know what that message is. So, a proportion of our council taxes continues to fund the armaments industries. We’re paying for weapons that massacre people queuing for food in Gaza and all the other bullets and bombs and drones in the countless other wars throughout the world.
‘In May, Brent council voted to approve a twinning agreement with the Palestinian city of Nablus. The Brent Jewish Network joined the Brent Nablus Twinning Association and met with the council leader to congratulate them.’
There were demonstrations against Israel’s genocide in Gaza in other UK towns and cities as well as all around the world over the weekend.
Protests took place across the country with demonstrations held in Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Truro and London as part of a campaign coordinated by Defend Our Juries, which has already seen dozens arrested.
Eight people were arrested near Truro Cathedral, police said. Another 16 arrests were also reported in Manchester.
Palestine Action was officially proscribed on July 5 under the Terrorism Act 2000, making it a criminal offence to support or be a member of the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The Metropolitan Police has threatened that it will take action against any public displays of support for proscribed organisations, including chanting, clothing, and placards.
Over the past two weekends, police said they have detained 70 people at demonstrations in Parliament Square alone.
Defend Our Juries, which is coordinating the demonstrations, said a total of 120 people have so far been arrested across the UK.
The Metropolitan Police said in a post on X on Saturday: ‘55 people were arrested in Parliament Square for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action, which is a proscribed group.’
Several protesters were led away in handcuffs, while others were physically carried off by officers.
Palestine Action, which targets UK-based Israeli arms factories and their supply chains through direct action – such as splashing red paint and destroying equipment – was officially proscribed on July 5 under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Today, Monday, Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, will seek permission for a full judicial review of the group’s proscription at the High Court.
