Palestine solidarity demos in the UK

[hitmouse]

Leicester today:

Seven arrested over drone factory protest, police say

Six have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, with a seventh accused of public order offences

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

Palestine Action occupy Elbit's Leicester drone factory

morningstaronline.co.uk

FBU advises firefighters not to take part in law enforcement activities around protests

The Fire Brigades Union is aware that pro-Palestine protesters are holding further demonstrations in Leicester. During previous demonstrations, the police have requested support from the Fire and Rescue Service to assist in the removal of protestors.

www.fbu.org.uk

And Edinburgh:

Leonardo targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters

Police were called to Leonardo on Ferry Road around 6am on Wednesday morning to deal with pro-Palestinian protesters who had secured the entrance to the factory. The protesters want to stop the fir…

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/edinburgh-protest-pro-palestine-activists-block-entrance-to-leonardo-factory-4619956

Three arrested as pro-Palestine protesters blockade factory in Edinburgh

PRO-PALESTINE activists have blocked the entrance of a factory in Edinburgh on Wednesday morning.

www.thenational.scot

Request for arrestee support at court tomorrow:

 

[teqniq]

Respect:

 

[Dystopiary]

In Edinburgh, people blocked the entrance to arms manufacturer Leonardo, which supplies weapons to Israel, early this morning:



Apparently three were arrested:

Three arrested as pro-Palestine protesters blockade factory in Edinburgh

(edited)

 

[hitmouse]

Think the Balfour painting-slashing was early March?

 

[Dystopiary]

Think the Balfour painting-slashing was early March?

Thanks hitmouse, edited.

 

[hitmouse]

Also, slightly dated now, but here's a round-up of some May Day actions:

Unbowed: May Day action shuts down Israel's ‘sponsors of genocide’

www.morningstaronline.co.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Oh, and good joint statement from Unison and UCU at Uni of Birmingham:

Encampment for Palestine at UoB

Joint statement with Birmingham UCUWe have been made aware that students have set up an encampment at the University of Birmingham, as part of the global solidarity movement calling for an immediat…

uobunison.org.uk

We have been made aware that students have set up an encampment at the University of Birmingham, as part of the global solidarity movement calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza/Israel conflict, and calling for an end to all support for Israel in its attack and occupation of Palestine, including a call for an end to the sale of arms, and divestment to ensure that the University provides no financial support for the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine.

As UNISON have done nationally, we stand firmly with the right to peaceful protest in seeking an immediate ceasefire, access to humanitarian assistance and an end to the blockade, and call on the University to demonstrate its belief in free speech by respecting the right of the students to protest on their own campus.

We reiterate the words of UCU’s Black Members’ Standing Committee, “that calling attention to the systematic discrimination of Palestinians and/or criticising the Israeli government for its contravention of international law must not be conflated with antisemitism.”

Further, we remind our members, and the University management, that our unions are committed to reaffirming their commitment to solidarity with Palestinian liberation. This includes a commitment to protect students and staff under attack for supporting the cause of the Palestinian people.

We welcome and admire the actions of University of Birmingham students taking action today, in calling for an end to an onslaught that observers and experts have repeatedly decried as an act of genocide.

Any attempt by the University of Birmingham management to silence those who call for peace should be roundly rejected, and we offer our support and solidarity to those who refuse to remain silent.

We urge UoB management to respect the peaceful student encampment, as a testament to freedom of expression, and to constructively engage with student demands.

 

[teqniq]

'lord' Walney in complete scumbag shocker:

'Extreme' protest groups face ban under proposal

A report will recommend proscribing "extreme" groups using criminal tactics to achieve their aims.

www.bbc.com

 

[GarveyLives]

(Source: Henry Jacobs)​

Media personality and aspiring Foreign Secretary, The Right Honourable David Lammy PC FRSA MP, shown with Rabbi Abraham Pinter, leader of the Stamford Hill community and Charedi representative on the London Jewish Forum, and Shmuel Davidsohn in 2015, makes an absolute fool of himself on the world stage by invoking the name of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela in relation to protests against the current slaughter.

 

[hitmouse]

Not sure what the picture adds there?

 

[tony.c]

PSC National March in London tomorrow.

 

[The39thStep]

The next step

 

[Gramsci]

The next step

Doesn't surprise me.

I've never been in any Trot party but remember them hanging around selling Living Marxism. One of those far left sects that were so far left they spent their time attacking the "left".

Seemed to me as someone who never belonged to any of these groups that RCP were the contrarians of the far left. Whatever the "left" said ( in particular the SWP ) they would spend endless well argued articles debunking the "left" and taking cleverly argued opposite position for the sake of it. Like they enjoyed it. So no surprise they turn up on counter demos.

Problem is my experience of the demos on Palestine/ Gaza is that they are predominantly not full of the usual suspects for the ex RCP now Spiked to rail at. They are having a go at ordinary British people in the main in their counter demos.

One of them persuaded me years ago to go to one of their meetings. I'm just not temperamentally able to be a committed cadre of any of these kinds of parties. Just never appealed. Works for some. Not me.

 

[hitmouse]

Prompted to look at the RS21 website by a different thread, but thought this was a good and important article:

The shift in Glasgow and how we fight back

What to make of new violence against the Palestine solidarity movement?

www.rs21.org.uk

 

[Gramsci]

Just watched Owen Jones interview Palestine Action on the report ex Labour Friends of Israel chair and now a Lord - John Woodcock - has written and due to be released soon.

In it he calls for curbs on what he says is "progressive extremism". His report was delayed so it could cover Gaza protests.

He its thought will call for Palestine Action and Just stop Oil to be banned by government.

Start of Owen Jones interview has clips from mainstream news site where he is questioned on his impartiality.

He does not see his links with supporting Israel or links with defence and oil interests at all affect his impartiality.

Criticism from Palestine Action of him shows they are anti Semitic according to him.

What a suprise. This kind of viewpoint is so par for the course I can no longer take it seriously. Nor I notice did the mainstream interviewers that Owen Jones shows excerpt from. He equates state of Israel being criticised with anti semitism whilst said same state had just been killing thousands of Palestinians.

As the women from Palestine Action says of him the issue is that in mainstream politics he is being taken seriously. His report may actually lead to clamp down on pro Palestinian protest and climate change protest.

Good to see Guardian doing article on this.

UK government adviser on disruptive protest accused of conflict of interest

John Woodcock, whose review proposes bans for protest groups, has lobbying links to firms in arms and fossil fuel sectors

www.theguardian.com

 

[Miss-Shelf]

netpol's report on the policing of Palestine demonstrations in the UK is out on Thursday

 

[tony.c]

The next step

He was a EU election candidate for the Brexit Party in 2019.

 

[Serge Forward]

Just dipping my toe into conspiracy territory for a mo... I seem to recall, back in the 80s, that there was some suspicion around various left groups about the RCP being a state asset (MI5, CIA take yer pick).

And what happened to the RCP/IoI etc thread on here?

 

[Karl Masks]

Doesn't surprise me.

I've never been in any Trot party but remember them hanging around selling Living Marxism. One of those far left sects that were so far left they spent their time attacking the "left".

Seemed to me as someone who never belonged to any of these groups that RCP were the contrarians of the far left. Whatever the "left" said ( in particular the SWP ) they would spend endless well argued articles debunking the "left" and taking cleverly argued opposite position for the sake of it. Like they enjoyed it. So no surprise they turn up on counter demos.

Problem is my experience of the demos on Palestine/ Gaza is that they are predominantly not full of the usual suspects for the ex RCP now Spiked to rail at. They are having a go at ordinary British people in the main in their counter demos.

One of them persuaded me years ago to go to one of their meetings. I'm just not temperamentally able to be a committed cadre of any of these kinds of parties. Just never appealed. Works for some. Not me.

Am i missing something? That tweet says he's former RCP. I've never heard of the guy, or them tbh before they started embarassing cunts on GBN

 

[Serge Forward]

Am i missing something? That tweet says he's former RCP. I've never heard of the guy, or them tbh before they started embarassing cunts on GBN

You're mixing up two different entities. The newly named RCP (Socialist Appeal) and Hartfield's old RCP (Living Marxism/Institute of Ideas/Brexit Party).

 

[Karl Masks]

You're mixing up two different entities. The newly named RCP (Socialist Appeal) and Hartfield's old RCP (Living Marxism/Institute of Ideas/Brexit Party).

socialist appeal are now called the Revolutionary Community Party?

But there was another groiup with the same name and that's where this fellow is from?

Who can keep up with this?

 

[Pickman's model]

Am i missing something?

yes

 

[TopCat]

You're mixing up two different entities. The newly named RCP (Socialist Appeal) and Hartfield's old RCP (Living Marxism/Institute of Ideas/Brexit Party).

Which were the lot selling the next step in the 80’s?

 

[The39thStep]

Which were the lot selling the next step in the 80’s?

Hartfield's old RCP (Living Marxism/Institute of Ideas/Brexit Party) which was why......I headed my post 'the next step'

 

[The39thStep]

socialist appeal are now called the Revolutionary Community Party?

But there was another groiup with the same name and that's where this fellow is from?

Who can keep up with this?

Actually, there was a third group with the same name in the 1940s who stood in the Neath by-election of 1945 getting around 5% of the vote .

 

[hitmouse]

Actually, there was a third group with the same name in the 1940s who stood in the Neath by-election of 1945 getting around 5% of the vote .

View attachment 425138

I had a real penny-dropping moment when I found out that the old 40s RCP used to sell a paper called Socialist Appeal. Grant and Woods clearly just really fixed on recreating the glory days of the 40s. Well, Grant probably a bit less nowadays. Perhaps not the thread for this though.

And just to mix things up further, the US IMT have had to rebrand themselves as the RCA cos the Avakian lot still have their preferred name.

 

[hitmouse]

Just dipping my toe into conspiracy territory for a mo... I seem to recall, back in the 80s, that there was some suspicion around various left groups about the RCP being a state asset (MI5, CIA take yer pick).

And what happened to the RCP/IoI etc thread on here?

Still here, I think: RCP/Spiked/IoI

 

[The39thStep]

I had a real penny-dropping moment when I found out that the old 40s RCP used to sell a paper called Socialist Appeal. Grant and Woods clearly just really fixed on recreating the glory days of the 40s. Well, Grant probably a bit less nowadays. Perhaps not the thread for this though.

And just to mix things up further, the US IMT have had to rebrand themselves as the RCA cos the Avakian lot still have their preferred name.

The Original RCP had Tony Cliff, Ted Grant and Gerry Healey in it all who went on to lead the three biggest Trot groups. Hard to put a figure on it but each group at peak membership added together would have probably come to a total of circ 15k plus periphery.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

can't someone make a handy infographic of all this? A Bit like this but better and with more inter organisation conflict

 

[Serge Forward]

The Original RCP had Tony Cliff, Ted Grant and Gerry Healey in it all who went on to lead the three biggest Trot groups. Hard to put a figure on it but each group at peak membership added together would have probably come to a total of circ 15k plus periphery.

I heard somewhere (so probably bollocks) that those three shared a flat in London. I like to think that all their inherent Trot splittiness was all down to arguments over whose turn it was to do the washing up.