HUNDREDS of angry protesters gathered outside Downing Street at 2pm yesterday to condemn the Israeli massacre of 19 Freedom Flotilla volunteers.
They demanded that the Tory coalition government expel the Israeli ambassador and withdraw the British ambassador from Israel.
The crowd quickly grew from hundreds to thousands blocking traffic both ways at Whitehall.
Irish flags and Turkish flags were unfurled with the Palestinian flags, signifying their contribution to the flotilla.
Hayarun Yildiz, holding the Turkish flag said: ‘I was watching the Turkish live satellite broadcasts when the Israelis attacked the ships.
‘They targeted to kill the organisers. They attacked when the ships were 78 miles away from Gaza in international waters which is completely against international law.
‘This shows once again that Israel doesn’t listen to any law.
‘We see the Israelis as pirates. We have recalled our ambassador and expelled the Israeli ambassador.’
Abasa Ahmed a university lecturer said: ‘It was an act of terrorism what Israel did and they should be punished for it.’
Lindsay German speaking from the Stop the War Coalition demanded a march be organised to the Israeli Embassy and that the embassy be shut down.
She also demanded the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to a roar of approval from the angry crowd. Spain and Sweden had already withdrawn their ambassadors from Israel and many protesters demanded the coalition government do the same.
Other speakers demanded an immediate boycott of all goods made in Israel and that Britain curtail its trade links with the ‘rogue state’.
Messages of support came from the trades unions, with a PCS banner present and a message was read from the Unite delegate conference in Manchester.
May Robertson a student at SOAS told News Line: ‘I was on holiday in the Lake District and I have come back here to show my outrage at the murder of civilians trying to deliver humanitarian aide to some of the most desperate people in the world.
‘This action by Israel cannot go ignored.’
At 4pm the demonstrators began to march to the Israeli embassy.
• Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas yesterday declared three days mourning, while in Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniya declared a general strike and a Gaza-wide national day called Freedom Day.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and also called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.
Greece withdrew from joint military exercises with Israel in protest at the raid, as it summoned Israel’s ambassador to demand an ‘immediate’ report on the safety of about 30 Greeks on board the flotilla.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the violence, saying, ‘I am shocked by reports of killing of people in boats carrying supplies to Gaza. I heard the ships were in international water. That is very bad.’ He called for a thorough investigation.
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), who had helped provide one of the flotilla’s ships, condemned Israel, saying ‘the assault was akin to the actions of a rogue state.’