‘FROM the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!’ rang out as 200,000 workers, students and youth marched from Whitehall in central London to the American Embassy in Battersea on Saturday.
Workers on the march were demanding trade union action to stop the genocide in Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state straight away.
There were thousands of Palestinian flags on the march, many trade union banners and loads of placards condemning the USA and the UK for financing the Israeli genocide.
The loud and lively Workers Revolutionary Party and Young Socialists delegation kept up constant chants of ‘Stop the Israeli Genocide, Palestinian State Now!’ and ‘Stop Arms to Israel, Kick Starmer out!’
As the march was assembling many people spoke to News Line.
John White, a special needs teacher and National Educational Union member from Wiltshire, said: ‘For me, all the politicians have washed their hands of the Palestinian people. We need to build up the trade union movement and they have to strike to stop Britain arming Israel.
‘Keir Starmer is a waste of space. His action against Corbyn was a disgrace. To call him anti-Semitic was a lie. It is the classic weaponisation of the term used by Zionists against supporters of Palestine.’
Two young students from Wimbledon, South West London, Zaynab and Alma, said: ‘We’re here to make a difference. The younger generation has the responsibility to change things. We represent the future. We have to be consistent and raise awareness. Unity is so powerful. The trade unions must call strike action to stop Britain arming Israel.’
Christine, carrying the Palestine Mental Health Network banner said: ‘We are fighting for the Palestinians who need mental health support. There are terrible mental health issues for the children in Gaza.
‘Trauma like that gets passed on from one generation to the next. Britain must stop giving Israel political cover to exonerate them and make it appear that no war crimes have happened.
‘I am also part of the “Stitch their Names Together” group. We’re stitching the names of all the people who have been killed in Gaza. I was raised in Palestine and feel that I’m Palestinian, although actually I’m Irish.
‘We’ve got an exhibition coming up and there will also be one in Palestine House in Holborn. Palestine House opened a few months ago. It’s a really important space. There are meeting rooms, a café, lots of different things going on. It’s a hub for all things Palestinian, just opposite Holborn Tube.’
Mariam Sh., a 19-year-old from Enfield in North London, said: ‘Stop the Gaza genocide. We will stop Trump sending Palestinians to other countries. Palestinians need to be compensated for the war crimes that they have suffered.’
Chad Croom, Secretary of the CWU South Central Postal Branch, based in Cowley, Oxford, said: ‘We support the people of Palestine and we’re here to give a message to the Labour government “stop the genocide, stop arming Israel and stop supporting Israel in any way”.
‘Although taking strike action is a difficult thing, the trade unions have to intervene in what’s going on.
‘The genocide must be stopped, the occupation needs to stop and the measures Trump is preparing must be opposed completely, so the fight must be stepped up.’
Mitchell Mullen, Equity member, said: ‘I support Palestinian rights. All unions have an important role to play. They are the building blocks of our movement and of society. A general strike for Palestine is the way forward, the genocide must stop.’
Steph Eastoe, National Education Union member in Haringey, said: ‘As an educator the fact is that the majority of victims in Gaza are women and children. There is a scholasticide going on. Schools and universities are bombed and destroyed. Generations of young people are being wiped out. The NEU is affiliated and our union supports Palestine completely.’
At 1pm the noisy, colourful march set off past the Houses of Parliament, along Embankment, over Vauxhall Bridge stopping to cheer the 24-hour picket opposite the American Embassy, before proceeding down to Battersea Power Station for a rally.
• Continued in feature and Photo Gallery
