Monday, June 11, 2007

Enough!

.
Last Saturday’s
“Enough” march in solidarity with Palestine was a reasonable size, perhaps 7000 or 8000, would have been my judgement based upon comparison with a reasonable home attendance for Swindon Town FC. However, the Morning Star claimed 20000, which seems a bit optimistic, but they may have had a better view then I did. In particular it was good to see banners from a number of twinning groups, showing the gradual spread of very practical solidarity work, supporting Palestinian towns and communities. Just sending the photos of the demo to our twinning partners in palestine helps them know they are not forgotten.

Given the significance of the 40th anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza and Golan Heights it is perhaps surprising that more emphasis wasn’t put in this demo, but it seem to have become slightly overshadowed by the 24th June demo in Manchester. In the end just eight of us came down from Swindon.

The British left was there in all its farcicality. A naive observer would think that we must be so strong to support such a diverse range of publications.

And London is a weird place

By making my way to a pub in Whitehall, for refreshment after the demo I was in place to see 500 naked cyclists going past, apparently something to do with opposing car use.

Then on the way to Embankment tube station I was privileged to see the bizarre spectacle of an Orange march, with assorted nut-jobs from all parts of these fair islands wearing their bowler hats and sashes, swaggering and beating big drums. When Gordon Brown talks of British values, this is presumably not what he means? But what else is there about Britishness? A fictitious national identity to forge together our island nations into an imperial project of bigotry, conquest and plunder.

We were told off by the police for mocking them, and I was told I could be arrested for pointing at a sweaty middle aged fool in a suit with a union jack clown hat and asking if he was part of the master race. Even under new Labour I am not quite sure what legislation this is against.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems Galloway was attacked at Glasgow airport by Orange types who were on the same march.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6740775.stm

AN said...

I saw that, and fortunately Galloway doesn't seem to have been injured, though neverthless I am sure it was scary for him.

They really are nasty pieces of work.

Anonymous said...

AN, don't know if you have had a chance to check Jamie's The Heathlander. There are links to lots of pictures. Awesome!

Louisefeminista said...

"Even under new Labour I am not quite sure what legislation this is against".

Actually, it is from the Tories. Section 5 - Public Order Act 1986. It was a case of the Filth wanting extra legislation post miners strike. The Filth can tell you to shut up and if you fail to do so they will threated you with arrest.

It is an utter gross infringement of civil liberties and freedom.

And the Orange Order are truly bigoted scum...

AN said...

Very good pictures, I wish I had taken one of the huge Union Jack being waved amongst the pro-Israel coun ter demo, but I didn't and unfortuntlay it isn't in these either.

AN said...

Thanks Louise, I'm impressed.

I noticed the police doing the same thing to by-standers on a video of a recent NF march I watched on YouTube.

It is interesting, because
I was there as a spontaneous by-stander, I hadn't delibertaly gone there to counter protest. So the police are managaing the political respinse to a provocative march.

They dodn't take the same approach to the Zionists shouting at us on the Palestine march. I wonder why :o)