It’s been an upsetting week but this evening’s pro-Israel demonstration in London was not only well-attended and effective, but also therapeutic. On a personal note it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and also to meet lots of Oy Va Goy readers including regular commenter CityCa, the very brilliant and glamorous Stephanie Gutmann and many more. I also met the legendary Joel Weiner which was great and I had some lovely chats with some Lubavitchers.
It was encouraging that so many of us turned up to show our support for Israel. I took this photo which shows how colourful and lively the demonstration was:
On a different note my fellow blogger Richard Millett took this photo which shows me getting my butt squeezed by a total stranger:
Kol Hakovod to all who attended and arranged the demonstration. Let’s make ourselves heard as a movement more often. Oh, and in case you hadn’t guessed I’m feeling a whole lot better now.
Update: There is a brief video of the demo here.
Nice one Chas!
Great meeting you!
B
It was lovely to meet you too, Ben. And Jonathan was right – you’re a fantastic singer and chanter!
I second that!! Ben K was wonderful on another recent demonstration and came to the rescue or a fellow Jew who was being taunted! Great chanter and a very sharp tongue! Don’t mess with the K!!!
Peace
x
Chas- believe me the honour was mine to meet you in person for the first time. Thanks for coming all the way from Windsor.
The rally was fantastic because we had a really good strong presence to show that there is another side to this conflict. Sadly, for the average British person watching the news at home this looks very bad for Israel, but we have to ensure that the story is told properly, and I think we demonstrated that very well at the rally.
A big well done for all that attended…
About 600 people came to the Solidarity Demonstration and It was a really good natured & peaceful demo which reflected the good natured and peaceful nature of the the Jewish Community & Christian Friends of Israel & others Who attended !
Ian .
Good to hear, Chas. I don’t post here often, but I’ve become a regular reader. Thanks for all you do.
How many people turned up? Was there any ant Israeli protesters there?
Keep up the good work
Around 800 I reckon.
There was a separate anti demo alongside it. No idea how many were there. Not many the last time I looked but that was early on, I avoided looking after that!
the people counting thought there was about 600 people
Was most heartwarming to see the 800 strong crowd there.
the spirit and atmosphere was really great – and I love the contrast between the two sides, so much unsolicited hate on one, and optimism and humour on the other.
[...] More here. [...]
Hmm, glad you’re cheerier Chas! A heartening demo AND a “cheeky” flirtation!;)
That’ll do it!
Well done everyone and thank you from Israel! I can’t tell you how much this cheers me up. Carry on the good work, Chas and everyone else.
Wow Chas. Duvidl is so jealous. All them babes. Are there two of them squeezing your behind at the same time?
Duvidl should have attended, but the girlfriend was on top barbecue cooking form yesterday evening.
Well done to all of you.
This has made me feel a lot better, too!
Kol hakavod Chas. Btw, you look very slim in your latest photos (compared to your old photo on the site). Hope you are well. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Anna! Very well thank you, just a long-distance runner hence the slenderness. Thanks very much for caring.
Hi Chas,
It was great meeting up with you yesterday and to experience the amazing enthusiasm the demo produced. Well done to everyone who was able to make it, especially all those young people (who should probably have been studying for exams).
Sorry to learn Stephanie was there but we didn’t meet up. Hope she gets in touch while in town.
Meanwhile, I attach a video link which might give everyone a flavour of the demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1XpF9YHueU
Btw what was the big green/red flag with the circle in the middle on the Israeli side? (you can see it in the first of your photos).
Its a Portugese flag – the guy also attended the last demo in Trafalgar Square. No idea of why he’s there though.
i’m pretty sure that’s a portuguese flag. no idea why it was there tho. maybe somebody got the wrong memo!
I too went to the demo and was pleased to see so many people there.
However, i was disappointed that a large – and vocal – number of attendees seemed to think they were at a Tottenham Hotspur match and not a dignified anti-Hamas/Israel solidarity demo.
I don’t think chanting “yid army”, “oo oo oo” or “you’re not singing any more” is a good reflection on anybody, nor was taunting the anti-israel demo.
Some of the chants made me a little uncomfortable too.
“On a different note my fellow blogger Richard Millett took this photo which shows me getting my butt squeezed by a total stranger:”
If it were me, I’d have a big grin on my face.
Stan
Haha!
Richard’s blog seems to attract some stinging nasties, Chas!
Glad you’re feeling better Chas! We do have good people on our side!
Con The World – a charity single for the innocent peace activists http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOGG_osOoVg&feature=player_embedded#!
A big thank-you from Israel to all who attended.
Nice.
Hi Chas. Thanks for your ongoing support. A number of my congregants attended the rally. I would like to be in contact with you. Could I trouble you to email me? Thank you.
Would be my pleasure. I’ll email you right now.
A hardcore of 40 Turkish jihadis on board the Mavi Marmara was responsible for the violence that led to nine deaths and dozens of injuries on the flotilla taking aid to Gaza, the Israeli government claimed today.
The allegation came as Turkish newspapers reported that three of the four Turks killed in the onslaught had declared their readiness to become martyrs.
“I am going to be a martyr. I dreamed about it,” Ali Haider Banjinin, 39, from Kurdistan, told his family before leaving to join the flotilla, according to one report.
The brother-in-law of retired engineer Ibrahim Bilgen, 61, told another paper that “martyrdom suited him very much. Allah gave him a death he desired.”
A third Turkish casualty, Ali Akbar Yertilmis, a father of four from Ankara, had “dreamt of becoming a martyr”, a friend was quoted as saying.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/02/flotilla-raid-turkish-jihadis-troops-israel-claims
Sarah Colborne of the PSC was on the boat. When she was pressed on the Today Programme about what she saw she was interestingly evasive http://www.justjournalism.com/media-analysis/view/conflicting-impressions-of-eye-witness-accounts
The ‘humanitarians’ of the ‘peace flotilla’ told the IDF to “Go Back To Auschwitz” shortly before attacking them: http://is.gd/cCQB7
Whilst I don’t quite agree with all of the authors criticisms of Israel, this article offers a pretty good analysis of the hypocriscy and selective outrage of Israel’s oppononents.
http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/
mailto:news@standwithus.com
Chas and all who support our wounded boys please send email to do so as me and my hubby did.
BTW sorry I left London before the demo , it would have cheered me up after my glumy London stay, Thank you all for being there
Eva
Italy/Israel
[...] More from wednesday night’s pro-Israel demo. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Out and About London‘A’ News Rally [...]
Chas I am trying to set up a Goyim for Israel advocacy group unless one exists already? When Jews speak for Israel people dismiss them. It is incumbent on pro-Israel goyim to show you don’t have to be Jewish to be pro-Israel. If we could get you and Julie Burchill on board it would be great. Or perhaps you already have a group I can join?
If you’re up for it can you e-mail me.
Keep up the struggle comrade
yours
Giles
Hi Giles, did you get a reply from Chas? If you do set up this Israel Advocacy Group or if Chas already has one I would be very interested. I live in Bournemouth.
Yours sincerely
Martyn