Free Derry Palestine Solidarity Camp

derry | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Monday July 13, 2009 19:54

by Free Derry Activists

Solidarity against House Evictions in Palestine

A make shift camp was created at Free Derry Corner earlier today in Derry's Bogside as a gesture of international solidarity with the continued Israeli Policy of wide spread house evictions.

Activists also held a street collection in an effort to raise money for Derry - Gaza Medical Aid Convoy currently being organised by the Derry Anti War Coalition who will be taking part in an international convoy to Palestine this coming October.

Several hundred information leaflets were also distributed to passers by on today's world wide event of which Derry played an important role.

A makeshift cardboard wall was built in front of Free Derry wall and the slogan spray painted on it stating: Demolish Apartheid Wall Not Homes.

As the sun also helped raise peoples spirits at today's action, kids played various games on the green as live music from Moroccan outfit, Gawa Fusion ( http://www.myspace.com/gawafusion ) produced the background music. Gawa Fusion who are currently on tour of Ireland at the moment brought themselves along to join in with the protest action.

There are many photo's of today's action. If anyone has taken the time to snap their own during the day, please add them below.

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Comments (18 of 18)

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Valid comparison?

by Sceptic

Tue Jul 21, 2009 15:04

Jim Keys contribution confirms the tendency to try to conflate the position of Northern Ireland Catholics with Palestinians in a sort of shared victimhood which then makes it easier to excuse to IRA campaign of violence.

Certainly there were injustices in Northern Ireland but nothing like the difficulties the Palestinians have had to endure. Northern Ireland Catholics were not denied full citizenship or the franchise in Westminster elections or access to health and education services on an equal basis. The Palestinians would wish to have the problems the northern Irish Catholics had prior to 1970. There was much less money around back then in nay case and the lot of working class protestants was not much better.

Join the Resistance

by Jim Keys - FEIC

Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:38

jimkeys51 at googlemail dot com

This was a great event to be involved it. Thanks everybody, pleasure working with you all. And the sun decided to come out in support!

Solidarity to the people at the sharp end. Here we can party now. Forty years ago it was gerrymandering and one rate payer one vote to keep the Catholic nationalist community out of power in the sectarian state, there the Palestianian community of east Jerusalem's human rights are trampled by a systematic policy of inadequate building permits for their needs, legal undermining of their title deeds to property and disregard for tennants human rights when the bulldozers arrive with no notice. And of course there's a cost for whoever dares to take up their cause within the state. Which is why international support is essential for change to happen in such a locked down situation. Join the boycott!

Slide show of photos

by George Row

Thu Jul 16, 2009 21:37

gh_row at yahoo dot co dot uk

There is a slideshow of photos here:
http://www.twitvid.com/3621C

Looks brilliant - fair dues

by David L

Tue Jul 14, 2009 13:59

Hiya, thanks for posting all the photos. I especially like the Intimate Distance banner, something poignant about it. Overall, the event looks really well, fair dues to you for getting it together. I guess we should think about doing the same thing down here in Dublin.

Free Derry! Free Palestine!

by Free Derry! Free Palestine!

Tue Jul 14, 2009 13:53

Just a comment on the first post regarding this event, it was correctly pointed out that there should be an amendment made to the sentence below.

"A make shift camp was created at Free Derry Corner earlier today in Derry's Bogside as a gesture of international solidarity with the continued Israeli Policy of wide spread house evictions."
reads as if you are supporting Israel.

For greater clarity, amend to for example
'"A make shift camp was created at Free Derry Corner earlier today in Derry's Bogside as a gesture of international solidarity with the people of Palestine who are being made homeless and forced to live in tents/ refugee camps due to the continued Israeli Policy of wide spread house evictions."

Just in case anyone takes it the wrong way, as it was posted in a bit of a rush to be honest. Apologies for that.

'Tent City' in the Bog

Tue Jul 14, 2009 13:12

Dozens of anti-war activists from throughout the North West converged on Free Derry Corner yesterday to create their very own 'Tent City'.
The Derry action was just one of dozens of similar events held simultaneously in New York, Washington, Chicago, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, France, Spain, London, and Egypt on International Day against House Demolitions in Palestine.

It was organised in solidarity with hundreds of Palestinian families whose homes continue to be routinely demolished by the Israeli State.

The family-friendly day of action saw men, women and children gather together to pitch a tent in solidarity, as passing motorists beeped their car horns in support.

The temporary tent-dwellers were further encouraged by entertainment from Gawa Fusion, a Moroccan six-piece band, Bogside musician Declan McLaughlin and others.

Free Derry Free Palestine

by Free Derry Free Palestine

Mon Jul 13, 2009 21:55