Christians in 30th national march against Gaza genocide

Congregation pictured before joining the march

More than 300,000 people took to the streets of London on Saturday for the 30th National March for Palestine. The Christian bloc gathered before the march for prayers at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church in Shaftsbury Avenue. Catholic groups represented included Pax Christi, Catholic Worker, Conference of Religious and several parishes. (This is the church where Martin Luther King Jr preached for the first time in London. Recently it hosted Rev Dr Munther Isaac from Bethlehem who preached about Christ in the Rubble.)

Pastor Rev Simon Woodman welcomed us all to the service. We prayed: "We gather in the presence of God to mourn, to cry out for justice and peace in the Holy Land and to commit ourselves to act for liberation. We share in the horror anger and grief at the starvation of the people of Gaza.. We lament the inhumanity and cruelty shown to children made in your image.

"We ask for God's blessing on all those engaged in nonviolent direct action in the cause of justice especially when they face state repression . We give thanks for all those with the courage to risk their liberty for the sake of truth and righteousness. We pray for Palestine - for an end to genocide, apartheid and occupation , and that all who live in that land will know freedom and peace.

"Crucified and Risen Saviour the horror we see are beyond our comprehension yet you know both the darkness of the cross and light of the Resurrection."

After the service we joined the march coming from Russell Square, slotting in behind the huge Jewish bloc. So many trade unions, teachers, doctors, faith and community groups and organisations, as well individuals and families with children participated, it took more than an hour and half for the sea of people chanting and singing, carrying flags, banners and placards, to reach Trafalgar Square and Whitehall - which was absolutely packed.

A stage was erected in front of Downing Street where a number of speakers addressed the crowds.

Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK, spoke of Israel's total disregard for the "sanctity of life".

Jeremy Corbyn referred to many of the witness statements that were made at the two-day independent 'Gaza tribunal ' recently concluded in London: surgeon Victoria Rose's description of children crying out in pain post-operatively because there were no painkillers - "not even Paracetamol" - the courage of Mark Smith of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, who refused to 'dumb down' reports on the horrors in Gaza, and resigned to keep his integrity - and the evidence from Matt Kennard on bases in Cyprus, used by the RAF aircraft circling Gaza allegedly to share information in real time with the Israel Defence Force.

Faris Amer, speaking on behalf of the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) spoke about the "deafening silence" in the international community "Today and yesterday, we witnessed the Israeli terrorist army wiping out entire neighbourhoods in Gaza, flattening Gaza's towers and residential blocks, only because the people of Gaza refuse to give up on life, so Israel wants to steal its mere necessities from them, leaving Gazans without food, water, homes, or even memories to live on."

Surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta, who spent 43 days working in Gaza at the Shifa and Al Ahli Baptist hospitals, delivered a moving speech. He said: "As we stand here, the bombs are still dropping over the heads of the children of Gaza. The food is still piled up at the border being stopped by the Israelis. In response to that continuous beastly crime of genocide, the war criminal in chief in Downing Street decides to welcome the President of the genocidal State of Israel. As if all the blood of the Palestinians that has flowed is not enough for him to declare his support for the Zionist death cult. He wants to insist that even now, as the final solution is taking place in Gaza, he reasserts his undying support for this genocidal machine. Kier Starmer is wedded to this genocide as much as Netanyahu and Ben Gvir are wedded to this genocide."

Saturday's protest was part of a global mobilisation that took place around the world, from Paris to Johannesburg, and New York to Kuala Lumpur, where millions took to the streets united by one demand: stop the genocide, end the siege, and deliver justice for Palestine.

While the march, organised by Stop the War and Palestinian Solidarity Campaign was very large and peaceful, it has received very little coverage in the media.

The much smaller sit-down vigil in Parliament Square on Saturday attracted much more attention as hundreds defied the government's controversial decision to ban Palestine Action - by carrying small placards stating their support. About 890 people were arrested, under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, including many pensioners, holocaust survivors, war veterans, retired medics and clergy - and a blind, wheelchair-bound man named Mike Higgins.

The Metropolitan Police said a total of 857 people were taken into custody, while 341 people were arrested and processed at a reception point in Westminster and then released on bail.

The organisers, campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ), insisted the rally was "the picture of peaceful protest" and called on new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to drop the "unenforceable" ban.

LINKS

Catholic priest reports on his arrest in defence of Palestine Action: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/53019

See more pictures on ICN's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064591363750&ref=bookmarks#