Unite the KIngdom 2. Free T0mmy. Free all the political prisoners.
By Esmerelda Weatherwax
To London for the second march for Unite the Kingdom, also to call for the release of T0mmy R0bins0n and all the political prisoners in British prisons.
The march started by Waterloo Station, crossed the river on Westminster Bridge and into Whitehall where the area south of the Cenotaph and Downing Street had been set aside. The counter protest organised by Stand up to Racism, Socialist Worker and the rest of the usual suspects was marching from Piccadilly past Trafalgar Square to their area in Whitehall north of Horse Guards Avenue. I took a look there as I arrived; it was empty but the police were making sure nobody could walk through.
So I took the scenic route through St James Park to Parliament Square intending to watch the march come over Westminster Bridge. In Parliament Square a small demonstration was taking place to support the political prisoners in Burma/Myanmar, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
On Westminster Bridge the march came over exactly on time.
.
.St Stephen’s Tower and the clock of Big Ben before .
London Eye and the London Aquarium behind.
Queen Boudica of the Iceni looking on, probably approvingly.
Dire warnings to watch our step and obey the rules’
Into Whitehall with two good screens and the stage beyond. By the time I turned into Whitehall I had missed the begining of speaker Tal Hartuv, the British born Israeli woman (nee Kay Wilson) who survived a jihadi terrorist machete attack, but which killed the friend she was with. Her story is a testament of hope and faith.
I had heard her speak previously in 2017 at the challenge to the annual Al Quds parade.
In no particular order a small selection of the posters being carried. Note how individual they are, either hand made of one offs commisioned and paid for out of supporters own pockets.
Note also these highly dangerous and dastardly far-right protestors who are the greatest threat to democracy since, ooh, the last big threat to democracy.
Press TV of Iran (banned) were interviewing protestors.
I didn’t catch this gentleman’s name but he is a well known face and always cheerful and full of good vibes.
Next is Liam Tuffts, very well known with a popular podcast.
This next speaker, again if I find his name later I’ll insert it spoke about Reform and Nigel Farage. Update – I’m getting old and should have gone to Specsavers. This is, of course, Carl Benjamin, aka Sargon of Akkad.
He expressed sorrow that Farage has been, in his opinion, tactfully, manipulated by the media into condeming T0mmy. This is regretable as a large proportion of those who support T0mmy would also vote Reform. He commended others in Reform who may well be giving Farage better advice; in particular Lee Anderson and Rupert Lowe. That what Nigel Farage ought to be saying and doing, is lets tackle the grooming rape gangs, the other wrongs and abuses, and then T0mmy R0bins0n can retire because there is no work for him to do.
This next was Mahyar Tousi, also very well known. He spoke of the hypocrasy of the liberal politicians, such President Macron of France and Justin Trudeau of Canada. They say nothing to criticise the Taliban, voted for by the men of Afghanistan, or Hamas as voted for by the peope of Gaza because that is democracy, but let the people of Britain express their views.
He spoke of the recently murdered Salwan Momika, a genuine refugee. Sweden let himdown badly. “Refugees are welcome here”, just not him.
Then he gave the good news that he and his fiancee have arranged their wedding.
The next speaker who I stayed to listen to was Shelini, a Christian who speaks at Speakers Corner. She had a message for T0mmy. T0mmy – you are never alone because we here are all with you.
I decided to take a walk to see what was happening with the counter protest. Liam had remarked that they couldn’t be heard along Whitehall and that there didn’t look to be very many of them; he had heard about 500. I don’t know how many were at our rally. Assessing crowds is not an exact science and while it was a very good turn-out the previous two rallies were even bigger.
‘I wasn’t allowed near and had to use the full zoom on my little camera down Whitehall Place. By the time I walked back to the top of Whitehall they were filing away. It was noticable that the police at that rally were more numerous and some had riot gear in readiness. This group were being contained for a few minutes until they were allowed to move.
Compare and contrast.
Above the Unite the Kingdom attendees had unique and carefully made (or carefully paid for) banners and placards. In the photograph below the apparatchiks of Socialist worker carry away mass produced identical placards, which I would love to know who funds. So mass produced that they can be tossed aside as litter. And can you understand the cognitive dissonance of saying ‘never again’ which refers to the holocaust while supporting a group who frequently deny the holocaust while being responsible for the ‘again’ which happened in the pogrom massacres of October 7th 2023. Because I can’t.
No litter allowed at Unite the Kingdom; stewards with bags patrolled constantly collecting any rubbish. And to prevent any little difficulties a row of portaloos was in place.
And finally, this electronic advertisment over the stairs at Westminster underground.
Amnesty International used to be concerned with political prisoners. I rememeber letter writing campaigns to support Soviet dissidents in the gulags. Now only concerned with Gaza, homelessness and not caring tuppence for political prisoners in their own country.