Hundreds queue for Solidarity Rally in Trafalgar Square
Not much in the mainstream news about the rally for return of the Israeli hostages in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. My London has a short report and it was mentioned briefly on BBC News a few minutes ago.
Hundreds of people are queueing to get into a Solidarity Rally in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. The event is being held to call for the return of hostages and highlight the effect of Hamas attacks on Israel.
Many in the crowd are chanting “bring them home” and clutching signs that say “release the hostages”. Some people are holding Israeli flags, with others carrying placards showing the faces of those taken hostage.
Earlier on Sunday parents left empty prams in front of the Houses of Parliament in London, in support of Israeli families who have had children taken hostage by Hamas.
Luckily Sussex friends of Israel, an organisation that has worked hard over the years in joining patriots to counter the Al Quds march every year, has tweeted video. It looks like a very good turn out.
The names of all those murdered were read out. That took a long time; these are a few of them. Reading the names of the 210 hostages took over 10 minutes.
I was going to post a video of all the names of those murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7th being read out at the ‘bring them home’ rally
Poignantly, sadly, the video would have been far too long
The reading of the names has taken 10 minutes so far
This is just part of it pic.twitter.com/Dd9KYEvyPk
— We Stand With Israel (@SussexFriends) October 22, 2023
Listening put me in mind of the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem, an experience that has stayed sharp in my memory for over 30 years.
A similar rally was held in Manchester and to their credit the local newspapers have reported it, and also the event in London. The Bolton News (home town of our late Mary Jackson), the Knutsford Guardian (home town of author Mrs Gaskell) and The Bury Times
Communities Secretary Michael Gove told the rally that “Britain stands with Israel”. “There are no words to describe the suffering of families who have seen their relatives butchered in front of them and relatives who who live in hope that those who were living peacefully in their homes just two weeks ago and are now in a Hamas dungeon should be freed,” he said.
WATCH
The Hatikvah sung by thousands in Trafalgar Square this afternoon.
No violence, no mobs, no calls for Gaza’s destruction, no Islamophobia.
One voice….#BringThemHome pic.twitter.com/Bwxg0Zs265
— We Stand With Israel (@SussexFriends) October 22, 2023
An object lesson in dignity and decency.