Demonstrations across the world show anger at Israeli piracy – protest again on 5 June!

Huge emergency demonstrations were called in many different towns and cities across the world in response to the attack on the Gaza flotilla. An international day of protest has been called for Saturday 5 June. Revolution supporters sent in these reports of the previous wave of demonstrations...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Gunnar Westin
There were demonstrations in a number of cities in Sweden on Monday, the day when Israeli troops attacked the flotilla to Gaza. In Stockholm on the Monday night, one of the biggest demonstrations in Europe took place as an answer to the outrageous Israeli attack. According to media, protesters numbered 6-8,000.

But it was probably more. The size of the crowd gathering at Sergels square were at least as big as the largest demonstration against against the war on Gaza last year, when 10,000 were reported to participate, making it hard to move into the square. The mobilisation went on for over half the day.

The attack on the flotilla has been well publicised in the media, and a number of famous Swedes participated. The demonstration was also built using social network sites like Facebook by activists in the Ship to Gaza- movement. This, and the strength of sympathy for Palestine in Sweden are other reasons for the enormous turnout.

The mood was militant and angry. There were speeches from a number of organisations, among them the leader of the Left Party and a top social democratic MP but also, to the frustration of many protesters, a representative from the neoliberal Center Party, not exactly known for its criticism of Israel! After the speeches the protesters marched to the Israeli embassy, where the demonstration finished. Comrades of the League for the Fifth International and Revolution participated in one lively contingent. It can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1t13kLJAVg

LONDON, UK
John Bowman
Protesters gathered at Downing Street at 2pm on Monday calling for the Prime Minister to expel the Israeli ambassador. There were about 300 people there at first, but the protest was later to grow ten times in size.

A rally was held by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign where speakers such as rapper MC Lowkey called for Britain to stop arming and aiding the Israeli war machine. He said “there is a little bit of all of us in every Israeli bullet… through our taxes.”

Protesters were eager to march down to the Israeli embassy in Kensington and the rally organisers called for a demonstration. As we approached the embassy, the march swelled, with many young Muslims joining. Thousands chanted “shut it down!” at the embassy after a minute silence was held for those that have died as a result of the occupation.

For a full report http://www.worldrevolution.org.uk/index.php?id=24,1227,0,0,1,0

MANCHESTER, UK
Haleema Nazir
400 people turned out on Monday at 5pm outside the BBC building on Oxford Road, angry not only at Israel’s actions but at the outrageous pro-Israeli bias in the news. One man managed to climb onto the BBC to hang a Palestinian flag as other protesters tried to enter the building. Policing was aggressive and one woman was punched in the face.

NORWICH, UK
Rachel Brooks
Yesterday afternoon, with merely two hours notice, around 30 Palestine activists essembled outside the forum to demonstrate against Israel's most recent attack. Meeting outside the forum library the protesters were joined by UEA's Jamnesty drumming group, alongside some hastily made (but great non the less) banners. Organised via the internet and last minute phone calls, the protest, which included students and trade unionists, did an impromtu "tour of shame" around Norwich. Starting at Starbucks and marching (noisily!) to Marks and Spencer's and finally Tesco's, the protest made it clear that they targeted these shops because they quite happily invest in the Israeli arms trade and are therefore implicit on the recent attack. Outside Marks and Spencer's the protest was met with a very worried looking manager who urged it to move on. The protest remained at M&S for some time, making sure that people understood why they were so angry with the company. Next the protest moved to Tesco's, were many people off the street joined, evidently impressed with the iniative. Before reaching Tesco's a police officer tried to stop it marching, but despite this the protestors marched on, settling at Tesco's were it received great interest from the shops workers and shoppers alike. Finally the protest finished up back at the forum where they discussed some further actions and held a minutes silence for those who had needlessly lost their lives.

An impressive effort by those involved. Despite short notice and exams, these protestors were evidently so angered by Israel's latest show of brutality and disregard for human life. Amid chants of "From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free", there was a clear anger from the protestors that yet again Israel has proven itself to be a state determined to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people. Those in Norwich showed that they stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza!

If you live in Norwich join us on Wednesday 2nd June, at 5.30pm outside the forum for the PSC protest which will no doubt be another excellent show of solidarity for those aid workers and the people of Palestine!

BERLIN, GERMANY
On 31 May around 300 people demonstrated in front of the Israeli embassy against the terrorist attack by Israel on the flotilla.

Already the next day, around 1500 protesters marched through Berlin. We went to the foreign ministry of Germany to show who stood behind this aggressive Zionist attack – the imperialist regimes.

We shouted slogans to expose who sells the weapons to Israel – the German arms industry and who supports the occupation of Palestine – the German government.

After this we went to the headquarters of the German Left Party to show our solidarity and support for the people who were on the ships.

The protest was supported by many Left organizations and Palestinian, Turkish, Kurdish and Arabian groups.

We call on other organizations to support the protest in the next days – for the End of the blockade of Gaza – for the liberation of the prisoners – for a free Gaza and a free Palestine!

VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Katja Teran
On Tuesday 1 June more than 2,000 people protested against the
murder of solidarity activists of the Free Gaza flotilla by the Israeli army's fleet.

The day before, 500 people had gathered outside the embassy and then marched through the streets of Vienna.

The demonstration in Vienna was one of the most charged mobilisations for many years. At first it was just a rally against the Israeli embassy but the outrage of protesters was such that a police pen was broken and a spontaneous demonstration took place.

The unofficial demonstration ended with a final rally at the Parliament. The demonstration was a very combative – and the people involved were determined to take any action they can in support of the flotilla and the Palestinians.

PHILADELPHIA, USA
Jeff Albertson
300 protesters gathered outside the Israeli consulate building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania yesterday afternoon to express their outrage at the Israeli massacre onboard the Freedom Flotilla float and in support of the Palestinian resistance movement to the Zionist oppression and occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The demonstration was boisterous and, quite literally, dwarfed in both numbers and sprit the tiny band of pro-Zionist counter-protesters organized directly opposite. The rally was then followed by a procession from the consulate building, down to and around city hall, and then ending with another rally outside the offices of the Daily News / Philadelphia Inquirer – the major metropolitan newspaper in the tri-state area, which provided little to no reporting on the Freedom Flotilla incident.

Along the way, protesters chanted the familiar slogans, “free, free, Palestine,” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” along with a few new ones, including “when people are occupied, resistance is justified.”

The march grew heated following provocative actions and statements made by pro-Zionist counter-protesters as they attempted to follow the procession from the side streets, antagonizing those from the local Palestinian and Lebanese communities with racially charged rhetoric. “Shame, Shame, Shame,” is what the Palestinian supporters shouted back as chants almost descended into violent scuffles. Upon reaching our final destination, marches voted in overwhelming numbers to hold another demonstration this coming Saturday at noon.

Yesterday’s protest was the largest pro-Palestinian rally in the city of Philadelphia since the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip in 2008. This Saturday’s looks poised to be even larger.

AMMAN, JORDAN
Layla Zou’bi
In the last three days, various protests, demonstrations and conferences were held by leftist youth groups to support the flotilla activist’s ship against the Israeli attack and siege on Gaza.

The recent barbaric attacks renewed the demands for annulling Jordan’s treaty with Israel.

Members of all parties and masses of people gathered spontaneously on Sunday morning after hearing the news about the ships attack in the professional union’s complex. The gathering quickly turned into a huge demonstration that headed towards the Jordanian ministers’ council to demand the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, ending the treaty and the government take a serious stand against Israeli actions.