Manifestation of Unprecedented Militancy

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Manifestation of Unprecedented Militancy

Stop the War Website and Email Attacked

At least 100,000 people gathered in Hyde Park in the bitter cold on January 10. Throughout the initial rally, people with placards, banners, flags, in contingents and groups, entered the Park, shouting slogans as they came. The Park rang with collective shouts of "Free, Free Palestine" and other slogans as the huge demonstration greeted and acclaimed the speakers, as they denounced Israeli Zionism for its war crimes, condemned the British government for its support of the crimes, and pledged to stand as one with the Palestinian people and their resistance.

The huge demonstration leaving the rally occupied the whole of Bayswater, passing Orme Square Gate, a north entrance leading to the Israeli Embassy, where youth stood atop the gates with Palestinian flags, confronting the threatening riot police. Its militancy seemed unprecedented.

The demonstration, especially the youth, again confronted the tactics of the riot police at the main entrance to the Israeli Embassy from High Street Kensington. Their spirit was that of the Palestinian resistance, confronting the armed might of state terror. The whole demonstration shouted "Shame, shame on you" at the riot police tactics. It was the police on this occasion who stood afraid and cowed, and the youth who with their militancy won the day.

Another huge rally concluded the protest for those who had reached Kensington Gardens before the police halted and split the demonstration. So many people had felt that they were impelled to participate, to make their collective voice heard, to continue to swell the movement until the Israeli state terror is ended and the Palestinians are guaranteed and exercise their historic right to exist unmolested.

Panoramic View of the estimated 100,000 Rally in Hyde Park prior to the demonstration

Demonstration leaves Hyde Park

Bayswater

Demonstrators in Kensington High Street Approaching the Israeli Embassy

Demonstrators Confront the Israeli Embassy as the demonstration passes

Massive rally at the end of the demonstration

Message from Stop the War Coalition, January 11, 2009

Stop the War has suffered a serious attack on its internet site, which has been hacked, we assume by supporters of Israel's attacks on Gaza. Our website is down and our usual email address not functioning.

We have set up a temporary email address for you to contact Stop the War: stopwaruk@gmail.com

We expect to restore normal service soon.

Many thanks to everyone who attended yesterday's magnificent demonstrations in London and Edinburgh. The London demonstration was by far the largest ever in support of Palestine. We will send more details in our next newsletter.

Israel has announced a sharp escalation of its attacks on Gaza. Stop the War, together with the other organisations who helped organise Saturday's demonstration, will be announcing soon the next stage of our campaign calling for an immediate stop to the carnage.

Temporary email address stopwaruk@gmail.com