Thousands attend pro-Palestine demonstration in Edinburgh

Thousands of radical person joined a pro-Palestine objection successful Edinburgh up of the day of the October 7 attacks successful Israel.

The lawsuit was organised by Scottish Friends of Palestine and the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee, with a soundless march planned to commemorate each civilians killed.

Organisers called for a ceasefire and for the UK and Scottish governments to enforce sanctions connected Israel aft a caller Oxfam study said 11,000 children person been killed successful Gaza – much than immoderate struggle successful 18 years, based connected UN data.

Activists showed enactment for one cardinal radical who fled confederate Lebanon pursuing an Israeli penetration and aerial strikes, according to Oxfam statistics.

Former archetypal curate Humza Yousaf attended the rally.

Gerry Coutts, 60, a teacher from Glasgow, helped to organise the protestation for Scottish Friends of Palestine and said helium had ne'er seen arsenic galore families attending arsenic successful the past year.

Mr Coutts said: “The fig of children killed has been higher than immoderate struggle successful 2 decades according to Oxfam, with 6,000 women and 11,000 children killed successful Gaza by the Israel Defence Force (IDF).

“Gaza is astir the aforesaid size arsenic the greater Glasgow area. The study doesn’t notation the fig of children who person mislaid a limb, but astir 25,000 children person been orphaned oregon mislaid a parent.

“The worrying happening is that the signifier the Israeli subject has utilized successful Gaza is present unfolding successful Lebanon.

“Many of the civilians are Syrian refugees and Palestinian refugees calved successful Lebanon who bash not person citizenship. Palestinians are not adjacent second-class citizens, they bash not person citizenship anywhere.

“Statistically, homes successful Gaza are being bombed each 4 hours connected average, tents are being bombed each 17 hours connected average, schools and hospitals bombed each 4 days connected average, and assistance organisation points targeted.

“It is not a mean conflict. We don’t thatch that determination were ‘two sides’ to apartheid – we look astatine planetary law. With apartheid, we didn’t privation the demolition of achromatic radical – we wanted a conscionable society, for everybody.”

He said younger radical were progressively turning retired to demonstrate.

Mr Coutts said: “I deliberation young radical are saying to their parents ‘I privation to go’ – that’s been a caller happening this year. You tin spot children are being bombed.

“Social media has changed it a batch – it’s the archetypal clip we’ve seen a genocide livestreamed. We are seeing it carried retired by a blase subject with blase weapons, and livestreamed.

“Even Bush and Regan, erstwhile Israel stepped implicit the line, stopped them – the aforesaid with the UK. Not immoderate more.

“We each condemn each attacks connected civilians.”

Maree Shepherd, of Show Israel the Red Card, called for the state to beryllium “suspended from satellite forums” including satellite sport, and for hostages to beryllium released.

Co-organiser David Myles, from Scottish Friends of Palestine, said: “Political leaders cannot assertion to beryllium moving towards bid portion they limb Israel, accused by the International Court of Justice of plausible genocide.

“Pro-Palestinian protests person continued to turn and amusement nary motion of slowing down, due to the fact that governments are retired of measurement with the demands of the public.

“While we telephone for a ceasefire, governments person responded with accrued backing and enactment for Israel and its subject action. This indispensable stop.”