Paisley group’s rally highlights tragedy of Gaza

Buddies came together at the weekend to demand an end to the brutal killing and starvation of children Gaza.

Paisley 4 Palestine – which has been calling for a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza for months – hosted a rally on Saturday in which activists focused on the tragic impact the conflict is having on children and young people.

Thousands of children have died in Gaza since Israel launched its military retaliation for the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

Now many more hundreds of thousands of people face famine.

According to the United Nations, famine is imminent in northern Gaza and could occur any time up to May 2024.

However, it says half the population – about 1.1 million people – are already starving. In the worstcase scenario, the entire population of Gaza will be in famine by July 2024.

Activist John Kelly, founding member of Paisley 4 Palestine, said the organisation wanted to highlight the terrible attacks on children, both militarily and through starvation, imposed by the Israeli state on the people of Gaza.

He said: “This was a successful show of solidarity with the people of Palestine; the use of art through music, poetry and graffiti art highlighting our joint humanity against the forces of barbarism.

“The speakers urged Buddies to keep talking about Palestine, to contact their political representatives demanding that they support calls for immediate and permanent ceasefire, and to support the BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] movement as a means to obtaining a lasting and just peace in Palestine.”

The rally began with poignant reflection and a two-minute silence while a piper played the traditional Scottish lament for those who have died in war, Floo’ers of the Forest.

People from the arts community this weekend came out in support of the

Paisley rally which music and poetry at the heart of the resistance.

Singers Eddie Reid and Dr Normul performed songs of resistance and solidarity while local poets Alex Cathcart and Craig Burrell read poetry with a focus on the human suffering of children in Gaza.

Throughout the rally at County Square, graffiti artist Mark Coyle created a piece of work which depicted a lone child in the rubble of Gaza. It was shown under a Palestinian flag and the words ‘Free Palestine’.

The rally also heard from a number of speakers including Jewish antiZionist activist Professor Henry Maitles, Dave Moxham of the STUC and Robert Parker of Paisley and District Trades Council.

John added: “We urge everyone to support the people of Gaza and want to make clear that Paisley says “not in our name” to the murderous assaults from the IDF [Israel Defence Force].”

See Paisley 4 Palestine for more information and dates of future demonstrations.