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All pictures Copyright ©
Peter Marshall 2009, all rights reserved.
Hight res images available for reproduction - for licences to reproduce images or buy prints or other questions
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Hands Off Gaza: Stop The Bombing: Free Palestine
London, 3 January, 2009
Young Muslim women with Palestinian flags and colours
on their faces
more pictures
Israeli attacks on Gaza which have resulted in the killing of many innocent
civilians as well as a few Hamas miilitants have led to many protests around
the world, and as well as the national demonstration in London there were
also other protests in towns and cities across the UK as well as internationally.
The police estimate of 10,000 demonstrators, repeated by the BBC seemed ludicrous
as Trafalgar Square now holds perhaps twice that figure after the pedestrianisation
of the north area, and it was fairly packed, with a large crowd still in Whitehall
and others leaving before the speeches at the rally.
So between 20 and 25,000 came to protest in London at short notice and many
stayed to listen to speakers including Alexei Sayle, Annie Lennox, Ken Livingstone,
George Galloway and many more.
Towards the end of the rally the organisers announced we would be marching
on to the Israeli embassy for a further demonstration. Rather than wait for
the march I caught a bus there, though it diverted half a miile short. Police
apparently made various efforts to stop the march and attacked some of the
marchers, especially in the underpasses at Hyde Park corner but I missed all
of that.
Opposite the embassy there were hundreds of police, and as more demonstrators
arrived they put on their helmets and riot shields. From behind the police
lines I didn't have much of a view, but there did seem to be a number of minor
charges by police towards the demonstrators behind the barriers, and then
the protesters, who had already pushed the barriers forward some distance,
pushed down some of the barriers and things became a little chaotic.
A number of shoes and bags of flour were thrown by the protesters, some narrowly
missing the press; placards were also thrown, but these fell shorter among
the police. When police moved the press completely away from the action I
felt it was time to go home.
In the chaos I had hear my trousers rip, and looked down to see a tear in
one leg. What I hadn't realised is that it had also ripped the stitching of
the 'secure' zipped pocket which I've long used to keep filled CF cards from
my camera. On my way home (I had to walk three-quarters of a mile to find
the diverted bus route) I found that I had lost the 8Gb card with most of
my pictures from the day, so there are rather fewer than usual here - just
some from the start of the march and the last few minutes of the embassy protest.
more pictures
Open the Border - Gaza Protest at Egyptian Embassy
South Street, Mayfair, London. January 2, 2009
Demonstrators outside the Egyptian Embassy
more pictures
Demonstrations have taken place every day opposite the Israeli Embassy in
Kensington since Israel started their attacks on Gaza last Saturday. On Friday
around 500 Palestinian supporters demonstrated outside the Egyptian Embassy
in Mayfair, calling for greater support for the Palestinians in Gaza and in
particular the opening of the border crossing from Gaza to Egypt they control.
The crowd, mainly of Palestinians but with a good sprinkling of other supporters,
were united in pressing for urgent action from Egypt as well as an immediate
stop to the Israeli killing in Gaza and an end to the siege, although there
were a few minor arguments and I saw stewards call police to deal with one
trouble-maker who was quickly escorted away.
There was an effective barrier on the opposite side of South Street between
the crowd and the embassy with a fairly strong police presence on the roadway
in front of the building, as well as a number well behind the crowd, but other
than preventing any access by demonstrators or press to the front of the Embassy
the police simply stood and watched for the hour and a quarter I was there.
After some prolonged chanting and various addresses to the crowd, a small
group of young men burnt some crudely drawn Israeli flags decorated with swastikas,
and then set fire to a photograph of the Camp David meeting with a text reading
"TREATY OF CAMP DAVID." A few small tomatoes - past their best -
were also thrown towards the embassy.
more pictures
London New Years Day Parade
Westminster, London. 1 January, 2009
US High School Bands are still an important part of
the New Year Parade in Westminster
more pictures
There were still plenty of USAmerican high school marching bands and pom-pom
waving cheerleaders, but the Westminster parade is now more of a Greater London
event, with teams of participants from London boroughs including Brent, Merton
and Hounslow as well as English oddities such as the Pearlies, firework societies
as well as clubs dedicated to particular brands of cars or motorbikes and more.
I was suprised to see there are still Butlins redcoats, and also in red were
the formidable ladies of the California-based Red Hat Society for
women over 50. A couple of groups made more serious political points, with
a small group calling for an end to kidnapping in Colombia, and a marching
band, dancers and more from Falun Dafu, persecuted in China.
more pictures
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All pictures on this section of the site are Copyright ©
Peter Marshall 2009; to buy prints or for permission to reproduce pictures
or to comment on this site, or for any other questions, contact
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