MORE than 300,000 workers, students and youth marched on Downing Street to mark the anniversary of the start Israel’s Gaza genocide on Saturday.
At least 42,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been slaughtered in the Zionist genocide.
The demonstration assembled in Russell Square and a sea of Palestinian flags flowed through the streets of London on what was the 20th National March since the commencement of the genocide on the 8th of October 2023.
At the rally in Whitehall at the end of the march the Palestine Solidarity Campaign called for mass action for Palestine on Thursday 10th October and announced that it is holding a trade union conference on Saturday 19th October and urged all trade unionists to attend.
There was a lively Workers Revolutionary Party and Young Socialists delegation behind their banner demanding a general strike for Palestine from October 10th.
Their chant: ‘What do we want? General strike! When do we want it? October 10th!’ was enthusiastically taken up by hundreds of marchers.
As the march was assembling, Suzanne Celerier, a Bristol University Student from France, said: ‘I’ve been on quite a few marches for Palestine in Paris but this is my first one in England.
‘The genocide is horrifying. We need to recall the Palestinian people have been under oppression for 77 years.
‘For me the most important thing is equality of rights. You don’t have legitimacy without equality of rights and you can’t build security or a secure country based on the oppression of another people. You have to live in peace with your neighbours.’
Alex Lyons, a Hammersmith 6th form school student, said: ‘There have to be active consequences for the government’s support for Israel that need to come through strike action.
‘And it’s very urgent. There are now over 40,000 dead. How can you justify supporting Israel?
‘I’m here with a group of friends from my school and I want a general strike now to stop the genocide.’
Gio Iozzi, from Goldsmiths University University and College Union (UCU) told News Line: ‘The unions should strike for Palestine. We’ve got motions through the UCU and many of the students occupied the arts department and other areas during the summer term.
‘It’s horrific, the worst thing I’ve experienced in my life. I’m terrified by Israel being backed by Britain.
‘The scales have fallen from my eyes about the Labour Party. I never supported Starmer, but now I believe he’s got to be thrown out by the action of the working class.’
Ibrar Hussain, a community worker from Birmingham, said: ‘I want to see military action from Egypt Turkey and all the countries surrounding Israel. Israel must be defeated.’
Rebecca Lynn, from Unison, Kent, said: ‘The trade unions have to strike for Palestine.
‘Unison should withdraw support from Labour. It is fully supporting Israel which is illegally occupying Palestine.’
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