Pro-Palestinian Swindon group announce town centre meeting

A gathering outside the former Morrisons supermarket near Regent Circus has been organised by Swindon Palestine Solidarity for Wednesday 18 October.

It will run from 5.30pm until 7pm.

The organisation is calling for what it terms a public demonstration of solidarity with the people of Palestine.

The announcement comes as the death toll mounts following the violent incursions into Israel by Hamas terrorists last weekend, and the subsequent military action by Israel.

A Swindon Palestine Solidarity spokesperson said of the demonstration: "We do this from a framework of supporting the application of international law and principles of human rights. 

"These principles also lead us to stress with utmost vehemence that our grievance is with the actions of the Israeli state and those governments that are complicit with its crimes – we condemn absolutely any attempt to victimise communities in Britain in this context."

The spokesperson added: "From the beginning of 2023 up to October 6th, the day before the offensive from Gaza began, Israeli forces had killed 240 Palestinians including 45 children, the highest level of killing since the UN began to keep accurate records in 2005. 

"Alongside these illegal killings, Palestinians in the West Bank have been subject to intensifying attacks by armed Israeli settlers, enabled and encouraged by Israeli forces. Numerous schools have been demolished by Israeli forces, two in the past year. In one week alone 17 Palestinian villages were attacked, homes set ablaze, civilian people killed or severely injured."

Swindon Palestine Solidarity also condemned British political leaders, with the spokesperson saying: "Those who rush to condemn the violence of Palestinians have no moral foundation to do so while they support the maintenance of the present system of apartheid: the root cause of this violence.

"We act from a sincere wish to see an end to all violence, especially violence against civilians, but we recognise that this will never be achieved unless the root causes of that violence are addressed. We do so from a foundation of our enduring support for the right of the Palestinian people to freedom, self-determination and return."