OVER 100,000 workers, students and youth marched for Palestine on Saturday, from Piccadilly to Whitehall.
There were thousands of Palestinian flags, several trade union banners and numerous homemade placards condemning the UK government’s support for Israeli genocide.
The Workers Revolutionary Party and Young Socialists delegation kept up constant chants of: ‘What do we want? One State! When do we want it? Now! Free the Filton 24! Kick Starmer Out! Keir Starmer You Can’t Hide! We charge You with Genocide! From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!’
As the demonstration was assembling a number of marchers spoke to News Line.
Haram Shariff, a housewife from Greenford, said: ‘We must march and strike. Starmer must stop arming Israel.
‘British weapons are being used for the genocide which is happening in Palestine and in my country, Sudan. Britain started it in both countries. We need change and we need peace.’
Mike Conroy, 24 years a miner at Lea Hall Colliery in Staffordshire, which closed in January 1991, said: ‘The miners strike was probably the best year of my life, even though the hardship was bad. I had three children, this being one of them here with me on today’s march.
‘I say it was the best time because of the comrades we made and the places we visited. I knew the News Line very well from back then. It is a great paper.
‘We needed a general strike then and we need one now because of the way the country is being run. It’s time for the workers to rise up in revolution.’
Cathy Tyson, an Equity member and actress, said: ‘I support Palestine because we must bring an end to all this misery. I want the Jews to be safe, too. There’s enough space in Palestine for everyone, but Britain must stop arming Israel. Now we must have peace.’
Sian Whitehead, a north London mental health worker, said: ‘The whole point of the trade unions is to help workers, but with a genocide going on, they must act to stop it.
‘Israel has been allowed to act with impunity. This must end. The Filton 24 must be released. Some of those who have been on hunger strike are being hospitalised. Free, the Filton 24!’
Zarghyna Mabi, a housewife from Birmingham, said: ‘We must have peace in Palestine. We need to take strike action to show the Palestinian people that we are with them. There should be strike action for Palestine all over the world.’
Faruk Pandor, an operations manager from Dewsbury in Yorkshire, said: ‘I’m here to stand with the Palestinian people and to stand for justice. I strongly believe that if we can bring justice to Palestine, we can do it for the whole world.
‘We definitely need to up the ante, and that means political strike action for Palestine and globally – the Global Intifada.
‘There must be international days of action for Palestine, where people go on strike globally. It’s time for the trade unions to step up the fight. We need more independent media, like the News Line.’
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