Hi! It’s konkaz (@konkazuk).
On March 15, I took my wife and daughter to a Palestine liberation protest in London.
As the Trump administration enforces inhumane policies against Palestine and the UK government continues to supply weapons to Israel, what were the people gathered in the streets feeling and demanding?
With the relentless beat of drums echoing through the streets, we marched together, chanting in anger and defiance.
In this article, I will share what I witnessed and experienced.
12:00 PM: Gathering at Green Park
The meeting time was set for 12:00 PM. I picked up my pace as I walked up the stairs of Green Park Tube Station and stepped out onto the street, where a massive crowd had already gathered.
The scale of the protest was truly impressive.
There were various types of placards available along the pavement, allowing participants to choose one that suited their personal preferences or size.
Of course, many people brought their own hand-made signs, and here’s what mine looked like.
During the waiting time before departure, I was approached by many different people, including students raising funds for local Palestine liberation events, individuals handing out free newspapers and pamphlets, others posing for social media photos, and even homeless people taking advantage of the moment to ask for contributions.
Though there were also people in a more festive spirit, what I feel is most important in events like these is…
showing that many people are aware of the situation in Palestine and voicing their concerns.
In order to create a strong impact, gathering as many people as possible is crucial.
Now, there are items that Palestinian protesters carry that might make you ask, ‘What do these represent?’ So, let’s take a moment to look at some of these symbolic items.
🔹The key
The establishment of Israel in 1948 and the Third Middle Eastern War forced many Palestinians to be displaced from their homeland. For them, the “key” symbolises their strong desire to one day return to their lost homes, serving as a symbol for Palestinian refugees’ demand for “the right of return“.
🔹The keffiyeh
The keffiyeh [kəfiːjə] is a traditional Palestinian scarf with a black-and-white checkered pattern, and many people may associate it with the image of Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), who wore it on his head. Therefore, the “keffiyeh” is widely recognised as a symbol of Palestinian “ethnic identity” and “resistance“.
🔹Watermelon
Under Israeli occupation, the use of the Palestinian flag was sometimes banned. In response, people began using the watermelon as a substitute. Since its colors — red, green, black, and white — match those of the Palestinian flag, it became a symbol of resistance.
🔹Olive tree
Palestine is the native land of olives, with a history spanning thousands of years. For generations, olive groves have been an integral part of Palestinian life, but they have been repeatedly destroyed due to Israel’s settlement expansion. As a result, the olive tree has become a symbol of the Palestinian people’s deep connection to their land.
Marching Through London: From Piccadilly to Whitehall
After waiting for about an hour, the protest march finally began.
When I glanced behind me, I was surprised to see that the crowd had grown so large that it now stretched all the way towards Hyde Park.
As the march proceeded down Piccadilly, it eventually passed right in front of my workplace. As expected, some of my colleagues were stationed at the gate, keeping watch for security reasons.
…What I hadn’t expected was what I saw as we passed the square and approached Leicester Square.
Beyond the countless Palestinian flags and placards waving in the wind, a group holding Israeli flags came into view.
They hid their faces behind Batman masks, stood in a line facing us, smirking and dancing in a provocative manner to the beat of the music.
There were some people holding cards with the message, ‘Trump’s victory, and you’re losers!’ and it seemed like they came specifically to provoke during the protest. However, instead of getting upset, the protesters seemed more bewildered by the childish behaviour.
Afterwards, we headed south, passing through Trafalgar Square, where an unusually large number of police officers were lined up, and once we reached the final destination where the speeches were to take place, the protest march was complete.
Jewish Voices in the Protest
The Palestinian issue is a serious concern for Jews living in the UK (or across Europe and other parts of the world).
The messages held by Jewish individuals in the image above…
– Judaism rejects Zionism –
– The State of “Israel” does not represent the world’s Jewry –
make it clear that some people, who lack a full understanding of history, mistakenly believe that ‘every Jew supports Zionism, migrates to Israel, and persecutes Palestinians’.
To avoid being mistaken for those Jews who support Zionism, they need to take action to dispel this misconception.
Wrapping It Up
I believe that the protest march for Palestine’s liberation, arising from the global chaos triggered by the self-serving attitude of the Trump administration, was not merely an act of protest but a powerful commitment to the pursuit of freedom and equality.
I hope that, in order for the world to come together, the demand for Palestine’s liberation will continue to gain strength.
Until next time,
konkaz
*You can read this blog post in Japanese from the link below.
👉 パレスチナ解放を訴えるデモ行進に参加した感想とレポート