Cornwall Palestine protest: global day of action for Gaza

On 4 October, campaigners from Palestine Solidarity Cornwall (PSC) and 20 local groups will gather in Truro to protest against the ongoing genocide Israel is perpetrating against Palestinian people in Gaza. The genocide will reach its second year on 7 October.

Cornwall protest for Palestine

The demonstration will meet on Lemon Quay at 1pm. It will feature a variety of speakers, including people from the Palestinian community, Jewish people, and representatives from local and national organisations. Over the last two years, thousands of Cornish people have repeatedly stood in solidarity with Palestinian people, highlighting the UK government’s complicity in the atrocities Israel is committing in Gaza, and demanding action. Protesters have carried out demonstrations across Cornwall, including in Penzance, Falmouth, Newquay, Bodmin, Redruth, and Truro. People have protested at council meetings, festivals, and at local events.

Following days of emergency protests over Israel’s illegal interception and kidnapping of activists in international waters aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, the protest on Saturday will stand in solidarity with the brave activists and call for their safe release.

The protest will also demand a full two-way arms embargo on Israel. Between 2015-2024, the UK government licensed over £1.2bn worth of military equipment to Israel. The most significant part of this trade is for components for the F-35 combat aircraft that Israel is using to drop 2000lb bombs on children in Gaza. The UK makes 15% of every F-35.

However, despite this government admitting that Israel is using F35s to commit war crimes, and despite the UK’s arms export criteria stating that arms sales should be suspended when there is a clear risk they could be used to violate international law, this government decided to make an exemption for these components. Including spare parts, the value of the F-35 contract with Israel is worth £540m since 2016.

Two years on, the UK is still ‘shamelessly’ arming a genocidal state

Last week, the Labour conference overwhelmingly voted to recognise Israel’s actions as a genocide and to impose immediate sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. This government has once again failed to act.

More than 20 groups, representing a broad intersectional coalition against Israel’s genocide, are gearing up for the protest, including:

Palestine Solidarity Cornwall
Acorn Falmouth and Penryn
Affinity Skateboarding
Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Cornwall Arts for Palestine
Cornwall Bakers, Food and Allied Worker’s Union
Cornwall Trade Union Council
Cornwall Resists
Falmouth Trans Collective
Falmouth Trans Pride
Inspiring Women’s Network
Kernow Anti Fascist Network
Kernow Rydh
Love and Rage DIY
Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Penzance Branch
Penzance Socialists
Right to Roam
Kernow Unite Community Cornwall
West Cornwall Against Racism
Youth Demand Falmouth

A spokesperson for PSC stated:

We cannot look on in silence as a genocide reaches its second year – and the UK are still shamelessly arming a genocidal state.

Scenes from Gaza are truly shocking – starvation is killing many while aid sits at the border, banned from entry by Israel’s army. Others are bombed in their tents or on the road as they attempt to evacuate densely populated areas – with nowhere left to go.

What we are witnessing is genocide, it is ethnic cleansing. It is illegal under international law – and reprehensible under moral law.

Under UK arms exports licensing conditions, arms sales should be immediately suspended when there is a clear risk they will be used to commit war crimes. It could not be clearer this is happening in Gaza but the UK government is refusing to take action.

But we will not refuse to act. The UK government and the UK arms trade is complicit in genocide. We owe it to every single Palestinian person to continue protesting and to continue raising our voices. We are proud that Cornwall is part of this global day of action, and we refuse to be silenced while UK companies profit from the death of Palestinian children.

Featured image via Unsplash/Nikolas Gannon