Coventry Locals March Against “Injustices” in Palestine
Rayhaan Folarin
• Hundreds of peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters have taken to the streets in Coventry.
• Activist demonstration in front of the Godiva statue in the city centre
Palestine Flag waving in front of Godiva Statue - Ray Folarin
Protesters massed in the streets of Coventry’s city centre in a march against “the human rights that have been taken from the Palestinian people” as the conflict between Palestine with Israel rages on.
Their presence was made known, as they chanted with megaphones phrased such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.
This wasn’t an isolated occurrence. A series of similar protests seen across the UK, such as in Birmingham, London, and Bristol in the past weeks.
However, this protest comes after the complete blockade of Gaza issued by Israel, which left the region starved of basic resources and on the verge of a humanitarian crisis. Essentials such as water, food, medicine, and fuel were restricted forcing the UN to call for a humanitarian ceasefire just two days ago.
Last week alone, Israeli air strikes left Palestinian families buried under rubble with over 1,500 civilians killed in the attacks.
Protesters felt that “this is wrong, and the Western countries support it.”
The march lasted no more than three hours. There was little to no police presence, however, West Midlands Police say that they will "balance the right to protest against any disruption to communities”.
Protesters could be seen walking from Little Park Street, making their way to their way down to Godiva Square, before settling in front of the statue for a peaceful demonstration in front of the Lady Godiva statue.
People from an array of different ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs could be seen in the crowd, as well as families with small children carrying signs.
Street marchers carrying Palestinian flags - Ray Folarin
One protester stated, “Don’t let Suella Braverman and the media tell us we’re doing the wrong thing, that we’re terrorist sympathisers”
They followed their comments by adding that the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th is being used as “a means to justify genocide”.
Known voices in the community such as Sikh activist Ricky Singh-Jutnah, were front and centre at the protest, claiming that “it’s just a matter of standing up against anything that’s inhumane.”
Ricky Sign-Jutnah - Ray Folarin
“Any injustices against humanity I try to stand up for. From 2020 Black Lives Matter to the Palestine protests in 2021.”
“At the end of the day, it’s human, humanity. We need to stand for that, and if we don’t unite, then how the hell are we going to beat all these oppressors.”
“People don’t understand that it’s not just an Arab issue, it's not just a Muslim issue, it’s just a human rights issue.
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Others expressed frustration with “the lack of aid” being given to Palestine from Western countries, even standing against them in some cases.
Just a week later, on the 21st, another protest took place in the city centre. Activists are determined to shake the public stance on the conflict. Results are yet to be seen.
For more information on the Israel and Palestine conflict click here.
