This Saturday, 18th September, the Marks & Spencer picket was again attacked by Zionist thugs waving Israeli and British flags. On the 22nd anniversary of Sabra and Shatilla where 3,500 Palestinians and Lebanese were massacred, the Israeli and British fascists came out, with full police cooperation, to show their support for these brutal actions and again attempt to get the pro-Palestinian protest kicked "off the streets of Manchester". This time we were well prepared and we outnumbered the racists, but as last week showed this might not always be the case.
The picket of M&S every Saturday on Market Street in Manchester is the only regular show of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and to highlight British support for apartheid Israel. It is supported by progressives, anti-imperialists, anarchists, communists, socialists, muslims, jews, asians, africans and other individuals. And the picket is effective in drawing people's attention towards the plight of the Palestinians and in setting the standard for a broader fightback against British imperialism. It is for these reasons that the picket, throughout its 4 year existance, has constantly been under siege from the Labour council, Britain's racist police, M&S, and fascist supporters of 'Israel'. It is only logical then that, in having a common goal of removing the protest from the streets, these forces collaborate with each other in order to achieve their dispicable aims. Thus cooperation and even collaboration between the Zionists and Manchester police is escalating.
Among the trivialities for which picketers have been threatened with arrest over the last two weeks have been: use of a megaphone, holding a Palestinian flag, 'smirking', being visibly angered by Zionist provocations, holding a camera, 'racism'(!), and stepping outside of 'designated areas'. In the meantime the fascist 'counter-demonstration' is given full reign to shout explicitly racist abuse, hurl open threats, take pictures of us, use their own megaphone, blow whistles in our ears, and set up stalls in illegal areas- all tactics which are shown a blind eye by the police. The racists, and here I mean the Zionists and the police, want to provoke picketers into the type of reaction, however small, that will give a pretext to arrests and ultimately the closure of the picket. The collective discipline and resolve of the picket, however, has prevented this from happening.
To defeat the threats that we face, that are as much a threat to any 'left' or progressive movement in this country, we need to build and maintain a high turnout every single week.
SUPPORT THE PICKET OF MARKS AND SPENCER!
DEFEND THE DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO PROTEST!
Picket M&S in Manchester, Market Street every Saturday 12 o'clock till 3.
28TH SEPTEMBER, 4 YEARS OF THE INTIFADA!
PICKET M&S 5-6pm THEN MEETING/VIDEO SCREENING AT FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE ON MOUNT STREET AT 7pm
Among the trivialities for which picketers have been threatened with arrest over the last two weeks have been: use of a megaphone, holding a Palestinian flag, 'smirking', being visibly angered by Zionist provocations, holding a camera, 'racism'(!), and stepping outside of 'designated areas'. In the meantime the fascist 'counter-demonstration' is given full reign to shout explicitly racist abuse, hurl open threats, take pictures of us, use their own megaphone, blow whistles in our ears, and set up stalls in illegal areas- all tactics which are shown a blind eye by the police. The racists, and here I mean the Zionists and the police, want to provoke picketers into the type of reaction, however small, that will give a pretext to arrests and ultimately the closure of the picket. The collective discipline and resolve of the picket, however, has prevented this from happening.
To defeat the threats that we face, that are as much a threat to any 'left' or progressive movement in this country, we need to build and maintain a high turnout every single week.
SUPPORT THE PICKET OF MARKS AND SPENCER!
DEFEND THE DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO PROTEST!
Picket M&S in Manchester, Market Street every Saturday 12 o'clock till 3.
28TH SEPTEMBER, 4 YEARS OF THE INTIFADA!
PICKET M&S 5-6pm THEN MEETING/VIDEO SCREENING AT FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE ON MOUNT STREET AT 7pm
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