I was at the national Palestine protest in Edinburgh and saw hope

The National

3 days ago

This protest came at a time when activists across the UK calling out the genocide in Gaza are having to censor their own language, clothing, and signs, or risk arrest.
"What about my watermelon earrings?" one activist asked me when I arrived. Another pointed to their socks that were in support of Palestine.
According to campaign group Defend Our Juries, more than 150 arrests have been made at demonstrations across the UK.
READ MORE: RECAP: Activists defy Labour with illegal pro-Palestine T-shirts in Edinburgh
In Scotland, Sean Clerkin, 64, was arrested and has been charged under the Terrorism Act, after he displayed a placard stating "Genocide in Palestine, Time to Take Action". A 55-year-old man was also charged in Glasgow last week under suspicion of terror offences for wearing a T-shirt allegedly showing support for Palestine Action.
Both of those actions took place in Edinburgh on Saturday, but no arrests were made despite police in attendance at two different protests.
'We are not here to support Palestine Action, we are here against genocide', Mick Napier, from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, told the crowd outside St Giles who were embarking on their route to first the UK Government offices at Queen Elizabeth House, and then to Bute House, the official residence of the first minister of Scotland.
"Genocide in Palestine, Time to Take Action" was chanted several times throughout the day. Protesters held banners which read "we will not be silenced" and "[[UK Government]] is corrupt".
Journalist Lesley Riddoch, former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard, Alba leader Kenny MacAskill, and leaders from the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (GGEC) led the march.
Outside the [[UK Government]] offices, Sheppard called for his colleagues in the Scottish Government to "think again" about Scottish Enterprise funding going to Israeli-linked arms companies.
Sheppard said: "To my colleagues in the Scottish Government, it is time to think again about the fact that Scottish Enterprise has a relationship with these [arms manufacturing] companies.
"That needs to be ended. It cannot be justified by saying, 'oh, none of the money goes to produce arms, it's a completely different part of the company, nothing to do with arms exports'.
"Do you remember in the 1970s and 1980s when we fought against apartheid and we campaigned to boycott Barclays? No one said 'let's boycott Barclays but make an exemption when they're funding community projects locally'.
Tommy Sheppard (Image: Laura Pollock) "No, the whole point of boycotting and taking action against the company is to make sure that they understand that their actions in one part of the world have consequences for everything else they do elsewhere.
"That is that is how we apply leverage and that is what we must do as well."
He later told me the shift in Israel's assault with their plans for a concentration camp in Gaza is the key reason the stance by the Scottish Government must reviewed.
READ MORE: Garbage join growing artist coalition against pro-Palestine censorship
"They [the Scottish Government] have to stop being scared when the other side are trying to demonise us and trying to make us worry that we're going to arrested for turning up," Sheppard said.
Riddoch took to the microphone next and was visibly emotional when sharing her anger at arrests made following the proscription of Palestine Action.
"We can remember situations in the past like this and thought this would never happen again, when people are wondering if the police will arrest someone for wearing a t-shirt," she said.
"So the point is, as everybody here has said, this is a genocide, as everyone is saying here together, Palestine needs action and we will all go together on that one."
Lesley Riddoch (Image: Laura Pollock) She later spoke directly to officers in the crowd, adding: "Now I'm appealing to the police. I know it's tough. You are moral citizens as well.
"Do we look like terrorists?"
Later, MacAskill spoke outside Bute House: "Many countries have had the courage that the UK are only going to face in terms of a conviction at The Hague in some day to come.
"Take a bow South Africa, Spain, Ireland."
He continued: "We do wish to see the hostages returned, but it's nothing to do with them.
Kenny MacAskill (Image: Laura Pollock) "Netanyahu's war is about the obliteration of Gaza and the colonization of Palestine and the removal of its people.
"That's what it is. That's why we have to speak out."
Doha Abu Amer, a Palestinian woman who has family in Gaza, Colin Brown from the Fire Brigades Union Scotland, and Billy Hendry, an ex-Royal Marine, all spoke as well.
There were several chants calling out both Keir Starmer and John Swinney, telling them "you can't hide" - many by children.
"She is driving a lot of things," one of the mothers told me of her 11-year-old daughter, "even at school, she was trying to do a bake sale for Palestine. I have to catch up with what she is wanting to do. Our kids today are so aware of what is going on.
"You cannot push children to do something if they don't believe in it in their hearts."
When activists put on t-shirts that others have been arrested for, the crowd cheered and I looked towards Police Scotland officers in the crowd. One liaison officer took a picture of them, and the pair spoke to each other, but no action was taken.
"Strength in numbers?" Riddoch later questioned on social media after everyone made it home.
READ MORE: Uniformed police pulled from Glasgow Pride over 'impartiality' concerns
Deputy assistant commissioner Ade Adelekan, who leads the policing operation in Westminster where more than 100 activists have been arrested over the last two weeks, warned on Friday that those expressing support for Palestine Action 'will likely be committing an offence and will very likely be arrested'.
He added: 'I would urge those people to consider the seriousness of being arrested under the Terrorism Act and the very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances – that such an arrest is likely to have for their future.'
After the march, Riddoch told me: "A lot of people in my family were saying 'if you get lifted for a terrorism charge, you'll never be able to go anywhere with your passport again'.
"This is the kind of stuff they're doing to just drive complete fear of saying: this is a genocide."
In Scotland on Saturday, there was no fear. Only action, and hope.