Yesterday's demo started with one of the Zionist counter-demonstrators being arrested for hurling racial abuse at one of our Muslim protestors. He was later released. Such behaviour we have sadly become use to and it did not deter us from continuing the demonstration outside the store, if anything it made us more resolute than ever.
The picket was excellent and drew a lot of support from the public, particularly the Arab visitors but also some from Europe and the U.S as well. The Summer evenings really help in building up good numbers and atmosphere but we can't rely on the British weather and tourists for support for the Palestinian people. We must press home the urgency to people living in Britain about what is going on. With the war on Iraq and the possibility of British troops being sent to Sudan it is imperative that we confront our own government and our own institutions, such as M&S, for the role which they are playing in brutalising and aiding the brutalisation and exploitation of the world and its people.
We urge all progressive people to join the growing and increasingly diverse demonstrations of Marks and Spencer and by doing so build an ongoing focus for Palestinian support work here. We urge all those fighting against the ravages of Zionism and imperialism to come and join us and stand up in action where it matters most - not in the lobby halls of Parliament, or some hidden building to listen to countless academics, but on the street where the people are. From London, to Manchester to Scotland get in touch and join us.
Boycott Marks and Spencer Oxford St (Marble Arch end) every Thursday 6 till 8pm.
The picket was excellent and drew a lot of support from the public, particularly the Arab visitors but also some from Europe and the U.S as well. The Summer evenings really help in building up good numbers and atmosphere but we can't rely on the British weather and tourists for support for the Palestinian people. We must press home the urgency to people living in Britain about what is going on. With the war on Iraq and the possibility of British troops being sent to Sudan it is imperative that we confront our own government and our own institutions, such as M&S, for the role which they are playing in brutalising and aiding the brutalisation and exploitation of the world and its people.
We urge all progressive people to join the growing and increasingly diverse demonstrations of Marks and Spencer and by doing so build an ongoing focus for Palestinian support work here. We urge all those fighting against the ravages of Zionism and imperialism to come and join us and stand up in action where it matters most - not in the lobby halls of Parliament, or some hidden building to listen to countless academics, but on the street where the people are. From London, to Manchester to Scotland get in touch and join us.
Boycott Marks and Spencer Oxford St (Marble Arch end) every Thursday 6 till 8pm.
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Comments
Hide the following 26 comments
Laughing
06.08.2004 15:24
I will agree one thing with you an increase in numbers, this week you had three BNP thugs to come and stand with you rather than pair of losers you had last week.
John
Get a life
06.08.2004 16:46
Sarah
And...
06.08.2004 19:57
Norbert
e-mail:
nor_bert_@hotmail.com
Deadlock
06.08.2004 20:00
This to me sums up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a nutshell. You have two groups of people who hate each other passionately, always have, and probably always will. Palestine is the pet project of the left, Israel is the pet project of the right. The screaming match has been going on for decades, and all that it seems to accomplish is that both sides become ever more entrenched in their viewpoints. Most of the general public is not interested in stepping into the middle of this shit-slinging match, and why should they be?
chris
except . . .
06.08.2004 20:58
anti-imperialist
Occupation bullshit
06.08.2004 22:12
-
Israel...
07.08.2004 08:28
Skyver Bill
Its not
07.08.2004 10:20
It is all about the little right-wing war club of Bush Blair and Sharon. Israel gets supported by the US to the tune of millions of dollars. Business supports Israel, hence these protests and boycotts of m&$.
Support a Palestine free of zionist terrorism
(A)
"The 'Palestinian' identity was invented in the 1960s"
07.08.2004 10:40
That's the end of 'one ethnically pure state' zionism though - the cries of 'they will outbreed us!' sound like a BNP line. It is disturbing that apparent defenders of israel cannot tell the difference between left-wing anti-imperialism and bonafide nazi antisemitism - surely you are aware that many in the palestinian justice movement are also militant antifascists?
Clearly, Israelis want to live without the threat of being blown up. But occupation is providing a pool of hope-devoid converts to extremism. I have an israeli friend, a hip hop dj, who tells me that Tel Aviv is pretty much like London. Young people go out clubbing. Others sit in cafes. Its a 'western' consumer city. He mentioned the fear at the back of his mind that the next bus he catches could be his last, but said it really didn't enter into his mind that much. On the other hand, its pretty hard to ignore the occupation of palestine as a palestinian. Checkpoints everywhere, long waits in the sun, guns pointed at you.
Imagine Hamas gunmen roaming the streets of Tel Aviv backed by tanks and air support - looking for 'Israeli military' - trying to 'prevent home demolitions by known israeli terrorists'. Naturally Israelis, particularly young men, resist the Hamas forces. Hamas kill many of them, and many civilians in dissproportionate 'retaliation' which many suspect was pre-planned. The homes of known bulldozer drivers are demolished - sometimes with their families inside, other times with a few minuites notice. Tel Aviv is put under curfew while Hamas forces look for Israeli soldiers. Rubbish pile up in the street. Food supplies run low and people go hungry. The water supply is cut off, probably deliberately.
Israeli appeals to the international community for assistance - a peacekeeping force - anything. The international community wants to end the suffering of Israelis, who have suffered far more casualties than Palestinians. However, the US blocks any action insisting that Hamas has a right to self defence in occupying Israeli territory. Furthermore, arms shippments from the US to hamas are the biggest single act of US 'humanitarian aid' whilst Israel is in ruins. Worse than this, Ariel Sharon is busy playing power politics and hording a personal fortune. Sharon sometimes seems more interested in defiant postruring, and his history hardly reveals a man of peace. Israelis say the same of the democratically elected Palestinian leader.
The US, the most powerful state in history, continues to back Hamas's occupation. Hope in Israel starts to dissappear after fruitless years of talks. Support for previosly marginalised militant zionist groups surges. The 'Martyrs of Barchuch Goldstein and the glory of Yaweh' claim responsibility for bombings of illegal palestinan settlements killing children as well as armed settlers. The group carries out suicidal attacks inside palestinain territory - shootng til the last man is killed. Even those uncomfortable with the groups targeting of civilians are impressed by their selfless devotion to the cause of israeli liberation. And the sides become more and more entrenched. . .
anti-imperialist
BNP - wrong
07.08.2004 14:00
No to Nazism
Evidence?
07.08.2004 23:11
your comment, but the many times I've attented the pro-Palestine picket I
haven't met anyone remotely right wing or heard a single racist remark from
any of the activists. Have you been to the picket and seen anything
contradicting this, or have you just read the lies posted by the Zionist
about the "3 BNP thugs" and taken their word for it?
Sadly there is always a risk of anti-semitic morons trying to join
anti-Israel protests for their own twisted reasons, but in the case of the
M&S pickets, I reckon that if any of these sick and disgusting individuals
turned up, they would soon either be kicked off the demo or would leave of
their own choice. I don't think anyone from the BNP would be able to stomach
standing on the picket for long, surrounded by Muslim, Asian, Black South
African, Spanish and Jewish people (just some of the diverse mix of
activists I've met there). I don't think they could stand there while a
paper entitled FIGHT RACISM! FIGHT IMPERIALISM! was being sold on the stall.
And I don't think they could stand there and happily listen to people
talking on the megaphone about the crimes of British imperialism against the
peoples of the Middle East, and chanting "We won't let racists get their
way!"
I think it's really ironic that someone from the pro-Israel side is making
accusations about the Intifada picket being involved with the British Far
Right. On their pro-Israel demo I've seen some of them waving Union Jacks
and calling out at passers by "Are you proud to be British?" Hmmm, I'm SURE
I've heard that line before- in a party political broadcast by the BNP!! If
there are British Nationalists at work, it's not on the pro-Palestine stall.
Ria
No to Zionism
08.08.2004 10:21
No to Zionism
More evidence please
08.08.2004 13:43
If you can't produce any evidence beyond 'everyone knows...' readers will have to conclude you 'no to zionism' are just another zionist troll who's exchanged the standard 'you are all antsemites' slur for the slightly more sophisticated 'i know you are well meaning and not antisemitic, but 'they' are antisemites so don't go to protests'.
Put up or shut up mate, if your accusations have any truth then just identify the far rightists and they'll get kicked off demos. simple.
oi
Evidence ?
08.08.2004 17:25
Why has your group ignored every e-mail sent to it with pictures and full details of BNP members attending the demo on a regular basis ?
Why did you ignore the arrest of Ricky Walters at the Trafalger Square demo by police for non payment of fines relating to a race attack in Lewisham ?
Why have some protestors who stand with you been allowed to stand
"away from those Muslims" ? A request heard loud and clear by a number of people, some of whom at the guts to object.
These people are not our allies. You should choose your comrades better.
John
Oi
08.08.2004 17:58
German NPD nazis on pro-palestine march 1
German NPD nazis on pro-palestine march 2
gerry
oi oi
08.08.2004 19:17
oi
left/right
09.08.2004 02:51
In Canada and the US, the far right have idolised Rachael Corrie as a white Aryan martyr who was murdered by Jews and their campaigning against Israel has focused on this.
I can understand why the distinction between left and right is blurred in matters pertaining to Israel. Both far left and right wing activists have used and cited works by Israel Shahak and Robert Fourisson (both have been discredited). This is not the first time I have heard that about the BNP protesting with Palestinian groups in this country. However, I doubt that any collusion would have been arranged intentionally.
Zion 1
e-mail:
zion1_48@hotmail.com
excuses
09.08.2004 08:08
Instead of relying on individuals to point out known fascists, why aren't groups working together to ensure they are excluded, proactively?
gerry
If this is for real
09.08.2004 11:22
I agree with zion 1 (for once) that its unlikely to be deliberate, people hardly show up and say 'Hi I'm a card-carrying fascist antisemite, can I join and therefore discredit your picket'. The palestine solidarity movement should have nothing to do with fascists, and I'm sure very few would tolerate it if they knew (and if its true).
I'm aware of the the german npd, and i have heard of (though not seen evidence) the 'rachael corrie - aryan martyr' nazi bullshit by US fascists. I'm less clear of UK links, but do publicise them if they exist. Fascists will always be opportunists and should always be restisted as *everyone* suffers if they gain power.
oi
The problem
09.08.2004 11:33
Members of Far Right organisations are routingly attending the protest and nothing is being done about it, as a consequence a number of people are unwilling to support the event. We heard first denials, then a promise to expel them and finaly another denial, none of this is good enough.
Sue Watts
another planet
09.08.2004 17:29
How this does relate to Germany is that because of that country's history, this kind of stuff has been more successful and left wingers there are scared to support Palestine for fear of being labelled anti-Semites. But it is garbage. The Victory to the Intifada group which organises the M&S pickets is anti-racist and would chuck anyone off for being anti-Jewish or otherwise racist. If some secret nazi once came on the picket to check us out, they were under deep cover and not distinguishable from the secret zionist and the secret cop who may be there too.
The posters who claim they came and saw lots of fascists and left are lying. They have never been and no-one has ever said they were leaving for that reason.
communist
Communist = disinformation ?
09.08.2004 18:15
Face up to the evidence, deal with the problem and expel these people. People will return when the Far Right scum are gone but not before.
Down with Nazis everywhere
BNP claim is Zionist disimformation
09.08.2004 22:20
Dave
f**k facism
10.08.2004 00:06
AO
claim and counter claim
10.08.2004 09:28
There is a certain amount of evidence that points towards the USE of the issues surrounding Palestine/israel by facist groups - specifically openly racist facists like the bnp.
This evidence (so far) consists of a few photos from germany (hardly specifically or even roughly related to the M&S picket!) and a few comments made by virtually anonoumous people NOT backed up with either detail or source.
Thus, there is no proof, and those with an eye for such detail would say VERY POOR evidence!
But lets look at the underlying issues here:
It would certainly suit elements from the zionist camp if strong links could be found indicating that the outward stance of anti-racism, anti-facism & anti-zionism found among the attendies of the picket was tainted with the very ideals that these groups oppose.
Unfortunately (for the zionists) this is simply fantasy. As much as there maybe calculations by the far right, that 'my enemies enemy is my friend' - this is unlikely to be even slightly efective in securing any kind of working relationship with the M&S picket.
The reason?
Nobody likes either the politics or the manners of bnp scum!
Having said that (and disregarding the pathetic attempts of SOME in the zionist camp to insist - against all known sympathies - that this is the case), it has to be said that the larger point made has some validity.
Divisions of left and right are often mere convienience for those that wish to control and dominate and it is no suprise that lower level operatives[sic] often fall for the rhetoric.
It is very important that we - as people as well as a 'movement' - purge ourselves of the residual feelings of hatred towrds ANY group religious or ethnic. Which is to say that such feelings DO exist in some if not all people!
It is no use pretending that the feeling covered by the words 'anti-semitism' is either a thing of the past, or a thing that other people experience. Everybody experiences these feelings towards each other and might better be called xenophobia. The problem arises when groups start to attempt to rationalise these feelings as a political outlook.
To say that the 'left' is immune to such phenomena is as stupid and self-serving as saying that jewish people are immune to the feelings of xenophobia, or that god told them it was alright for them alone to experience and indulge in it.
I think it is about time all those that can, take a step back from confrontation.
Take a ddep breath, feel alive and take a look at the issues one supports and why. From there, lets try and find common ground and universally acceptable language to outline the problem.
Here is my small attempt:
Jews and arabs and christians and non belivers have a right to live where they want.
Israel has a right to exist.
Plaestine has a right to exist.
In between that, there must be way that we can move forward together, and lets not get bogged down in fighting each other.
(Zion 1 - I shall look upon your words with respect from now on - although I might disagree with them on occassion. I think I have been WRONG with regards to the issues that you and others raise and in my treatment of you and others. Hubris and arrogance don't make for rational understanding and peace.)
jackslucid
e-mail:
jackslucid@hotmail.com
different countries, different situations
10.08.2004 09:53
Whereas in the UK much of the Left have maintained a clear position that anti-Zionism is not anti-semitism, hence have got involved in Palestine solidarity in sufficient numbers to deter the Far-Right from coming anywhere near.
awake