Stop the War coalition Newsletter 23.02.24

Newsletter – 23/02/24

A Smokescreen to Hide the Genocide Behind 

Following Wednesday’s disgraceful scenes where Keir Starmer, after a phone call with Israeli PM Isaac Herzog, colluded with the Speaker of the Commons, Lindsay Hoyle to sabotage the SNP’s motion calling for a ceasefire, it appears that both the government and its loyal opposition have decided to aim their fire at peaceful protestors. 

It is obvious that the current attempt to equate the right to protest with intimidation is an attempt to deflect from the horror in Gaza and the British political establishment’s support for it. The millions of people in this country that have taken to the streets for Palestine over the past five months represent majority opinion in this country. In the words of YouGov last week: “public desire for Israel to stop and call a ceasefire stands at 66%”.

We issued a statement earlier today strongly condemning any proposals to ban protest outside parliament, council buildings and MPs’ offices with a commitment to campaigning energetically against them:

“The recent cycle of protests calling for a ceasefire have seen record numbers of people protest. Despite bizarre attempts to demonise these huge marches for peace and an end to mass killing as threatening, ‘hate marches’, they have been entirely peaceful with less arrests per person than at major music festivals.

Calls to limit the right to protest from centres of decision making are an attempt to insulate politicians from public opinion. As such, they are an attack on democracy not a defence of it.”

There is a massive movement in support of the Palestinians across Britain and real anger that politicians have, for the most part, stood by as we witness a genocide in Gaza. We will continue to campaign and mobilise until there is a ceasefire and justice for Palestine. The next National Demonstration will be on Sat 9 March. Make sure you’re on the streets.