[Reader-list] Fwd: STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER!!!---Yvonne Ridley

[indersalim]

Anarchy In The UK
(and the birth of SGS - STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER)

By Yvonne Ridley

December 28, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- THE murderous
military campaign which has been unleashed by Israel has provoked
people across the world to demonstrate, rally and protest in their
hundreds of thousands.

Soon the movement will turn into millions as more ordinary, decent
citizens of the world show their disgust at the barbarism of Israel
... and the cowardly silence of our own leaders.

This is no longer a political issue, or a Middle East issue. It is a
case of what is right and what is wrong, and what is decent and what
is inhumane.

And ordinary people are now taking the initiative because they can no
longer rely on their political leaders to show any of the human
qualities demanded of them including strength, integrity or
compassion.

British people, normally reserved and controlled, brought anarchy to
the streets of upscale Kensington yesterday as they stormed barracades
and pushed past police to head towards the Israeli Embassy in London.

There was more anarchy in Scotland as our friends over the Border
vented their spleen over the war crimes and massacre carried out by
Israel.

And unless British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gets some lead in his
pencil, the anarchy will continue.

I am normally a law-abiding citizen, but the anger and shame I felt
drove me to join those who tore down the barriers on Saturday.

Gordon Brown is the very man who lectured us about what it is to be
British. Well let me turn the tables on this pathetic, self-serving
man who does not deserve to lead our country.

Being British is about fair play, justice and humanity ... standing up
for the underdog in the face of bullies.

Brown, like other leaders around the world, simply looked the other
way as the Israeli military jackbooted its way through the blood
dripped gutters once trawled by the Nazis to kill, massacre and maim.

In the final days of December 2008 Gordon Brown will be remembered for
acting like one of the silent cowards who hangs uncomfortably on the
edge of the schoolyard as the bully kicks and thumps the little, weak
child.

And that feckless fool David Milliband is no better. While Brown told
journalists he was "deeply concerned" over Israeli actions, the
British Foreign secretary urged Israel to abide by its "humanitarian
obligations".

And it was their weasly words which was directly responsible for the
lawlessness which erupted in the streets of London on Saturday, and
I'll tell you why.

I was outraged and ashamed by the weakness shown by Milliband and
Brown and called my good friend Ghada Razuki. We have both been to
Palestine and we have both been to Gaza and we were both repelled by
the pathetic reaction of our government.

So we decided to launch SGS - Stop Gaza Slaughter - and call for a
rally. We began hitting the phones. Many organised groups were already
planning a demonstration for the Sunday and they urged us to wait.

One told me: "You do not have police permission". Almost choking with
rage, I responded: "Permission? Permission to demonstrate and march
and exercise my democratic right to protest? This is Britain! And did
Israel ask anyone for permission to bomb Gaza?"

But Ghada did call the police and inform them that we were planning a
demo - in truth I thought around 30 of us might turn up to respond,
but it seems that we were not the only ones who were outraged by the
silence of Messrs Brown and Co.

"I thought you said only 30 were going to turn up, there must be 3,000
here now," said one police officer. I just shrugged my shoulders and
said I had no idea a few text messages, FaceBook and a blog could have
resulted in such a turnout.

In truth I am sure many who arrived in Kensington on Saturday would
have come anyway. But what happened was pure 'people power' and this
is what happens when you have a leader who commands little or no
respect.

When the people lead, the leaders will follow and I think in the next
few days Brown's advisers will tell him that what the British people
want is a real man who will stand up to the bullies.

And if he doesn't there will be more anarchy and it will get worse.
This is neither a threat nor a promise - just a prediction.

If Brown wants to survive politically, he will have20to join us when
we demonstrate on Saturday, January 3 - opposite the British
Parliament. He needs to show us he is really man enough to lead this
country.

And on the subject of Saturday's demonstration - police permission is
apparently being sought. I have some advice for the Metropolitan
Police: "Do not try and stop the democratic right of every person in
Britain to demonstrate."

I am going to be there - with or without police permission. And if
they want to arrest me and lock me up then so be it.

Has it now become a crime to demonstrates against war crimes? Crimes
against humanity are being carried out by Israel and I refuse to be
silent.



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