UK protesters take to streets despite criticism from PM Starmer
The demonstration is making its way around four different universities in London. It started at Kings College. Then it went to the London School of Economics and then to University College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote a piece in The Times newspaper in which he basically said: On the anniversary of the atrocities of October 7, students are once again planning protests. This is not who we are as a country. It is ‘un-British’ to have so little respect for others.
He is also clearly linking the demonstrations in support of Palestine with anti-Semitism. He says, particularly on October 7, the day should be left free as a day of mourning for Jewish people.
The people I’ve been speaking to here have a different perspective. They say they’re displaying empathy for everyone by coming out and demonstrating.
Genocide, as they see it, is the primary evil of this situation, and it would be remiss of them not to come out and protest on this day – or any other day.
The protests reflect a shift in global sentiment with sympathy that initially flowed to Israel after the October 7 attacks now increasingly directed towards Palestinians
It is entirely possible to mourn all victims. Btw it was not just Jewish people that were killed and taken hostage on Oct 7... Forgetting about the 'others' again, just as so often with the Holocaust.
It's only warped racist's minds that can interpret protests against genocide as celebrating the deaths of Jews on Oct 7.
Grief can make you say insensitive things as well, the BBC using it to shout antisemitism however is shameful.
Sister of 7 October victim condemns pro-Palestine student protests
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0vz0d10exo
The sister of a Scottish victim of the Hamas attack on Israel two years ago has condemned pro-Palestine protests, accusing students taking part of celebrating the deaths of 1,200 people.
‘We’re standing up for everyone’: UK protester pushes back on PM criticism
Demonstrators in London have denounced comments by the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who earlier criticised their decision to hold pro-Palestine protests on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel.
In an op-ed for the Times, Starmer appeared to directly link such protests to anti-Jewish sentiment. He said the protests are being used by some as a “despicable excuse to attack British Jews for something over which they have absolutely no responsibility”.
He further called the decision to protest on October 7 “un-British”.
Protester Sim Junaid dismissed the claim.
“We’re showing up for Jews, for Muslims, for Christians, showing up for everyone today,” Junaid told Al Jazeera. “I think to make it a story about anti-Semitism is where Keir Starmer just has completely missed the narrative.”
UK prosecutors to appeal Kneecap ruling
British prosecutors have said they will appeal a court’s decision to drop a charge of supporting “terrorism” brought against a member of the Irish band Kneecap.
“We are appealing the decision to dismiss this case, as we believe there is an important point of law which needs to be clarified,” a Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said, referring to the case against Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who is also known as Liam O’Hanna (the translation of his name from Gaeilge, the Irish language, into English) and as Mo Chara, his stage name.
The rapper had been charged for allegedly displaying the flag of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in November 2024. However, a judge last month found there had been a technical error in the way the charge had been brought.
O hAnnaidh had denied the offence, saying the flag was thrown on stage during the group’s performance. The band has branded the legal process a “witch hunt”.
The members of Kneecap have been outspoken critics of the war on Gaza and strong supporters of Palestinian rights.
The rapper hailed the court’s decision, declaring that it showed attempts to muzzle the band’s support for Palestinians had failed.
“It was always about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up,” O hAnnaidh had said after last month’s ruling. “Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we’re right and you’re wrong.”
