In case of interest and publication, herewith is my firsthand photographic report on Yesterday’s Confluence of Armistice Day with the Cry “Ceasefire on Gaza” Rally.
Hearts High,Michèle
Massed Police Farce 11/11/23 + EDL Clowns
Yesterday on Armistice Day in London I was there. I was there to see the entire Ceasefire Gaza Rally pass by as it turned from nearby Victoria Station towards the American Embassy in Vauxhall.
Here is how I witnessed the way the day ended – with a massed police farce – and began for me on a brief encounter with the EDL It’s a toss-up to say which was the more of a moral embarrassment for Britain.
I had set off from Notting Hill Gate tube and arrived at Victoria. As I hauled my mobility Upwalker up the stairs, two EDL (English Defence League) idiots-for-Israel spotted my “Free Palestine” badge on my cap and said: “We don’t agree with you and we won’t help you either”. Ditto!!
Having made my dual-sided ‘educational” placard to the purpose, I stood prominently on the corner where the “Free Palestine” Ralliers turned the corner and had time to read its messages – two messages which they would be unlikely to come across among the multitude of earnestly humanitarian and sometimes profoundly moving placards carried by young children already expressing their empathetic capacity with the 5,000 infants slaughtered most recently by The Jewish State.
It is gratifying to report that my ‘educational’ messages attracted hundreds (to my certain knowledge) to take a keen interest, with masses of marchers wishing to take photographs and pause to ask for more info.
One one side of my placard it said:FOUNDING FATHER, of THE JEWISH STATE, HERZL in 1897 said: “We must DISAPPEAR the INDIGENOUS” out of Palestine = DISPOSSESS + GENOCIDE.When people paused to photograph, I added that World Zionism predates “nazies” and “fascists” by half a century, and that in 1897 Adolf Hitler was a child aged 8. Netanyahu is simply exccelerating Herzl’s 1897 genocidal endgame which chronologically has nothing whatever to do with what did or did not occur in WW2.
The other side of my ‘educational’ placard said:
BRITISH SOLDIERS in PALESTINE 1944-48, murdered by Jewish terrorists, NEVER INVITED to the CENOTAPH ! = to “DISAPPEAR” BRITISH WITNESS same as PALESTINE.
In fact, my recording of those British Soldiers’ eyewitness for the true historical record is unique and safely archived at Oxford University’s St. Antony’s College. Excerpts are also available on the net at: Forgotten British Heroes Campaign 2015: Part 3: Lady Michèle Renouf
Forgotten British Heroes Campaign 2015: Part 3: Lady Michèle Renouf
Our British Soldiers who served in Palestine 1944-1948 told me that they were never invited to the Cenotaph and that their eyewitness, like the truth about the founding of The Jewish State, were to disappear deliberately from the pages of history and the historical map. Thus the confluence of Armistice day and “Ceasefire on Gaza; stop the Genocide” Rally could hardly be more apt and relevant!
My late father, Captain Arthur Mainwaring (funnily enough as per the character in the TV series “Dad’s Army”!), was a fearless aerial reconnaissance photographer in The Royal Airforce. Alas when my placard was spotted by five veterans in Green jackets and berets as they passed by, they seemed too fearful even to be seen to take an interest after they had read beyond its first few lines. The mere words “Jewish terrorists” had them on the run!
On the dot of 5pm the marchers had all passed by when three police vans turned up to block the road.
The “Free Palestine” organiser then announced on a megaphone for people peacefully to disperse and go home. Police at Victoria Station also announced that the tube was closed!
And here’s another embarrassing bit of incompetent or downright frustration-stirring disorganisation by the Transport for London – when I reached the nearby crowded bus-stop, all passing buses were marked “Not in Service”! Clearly no preparation for dealing with the transport home for the predicted thousands of admirable marchers who had no choice now but to stand about…or continue marching!
And here is how the Day ended. Not with a bang for our buck (given the cost to the taxpayer of the additional 1,000 officers) but with a whimper! (A whimper that will not be silenced by the intrepid marchers, echoed worldwide.)
I saw a little bunch of some 30 marchers suddenly pass by doing as they had done quite legally all afternoon: chanting “Ceasefire”, waving flags, and setting off harmless Palestine-flag coloured smoke plumes. Within minutes 30 huge Police Territorial Support Group vans appeared on the scene, totally jamming up the road from Victoria to Hyde Park Corner and those leading off. Idiotic (or was it by scheming) overkill? The traffic was now at a complete standstill. Entirely owing to absurdly amassed police vans!!
Clearly the only way to get away was on foot. As I caught up with the police I told them I’d seen this entire incident and that their arrival was totally farcical! A few of them took an interest in my placard I am ‘educationally’ glad to say.
I then reached the police blockade, and again scorned at the absurdity of police now lowering their riot visors while marchers waved back with their flags! The small kettled mixed bag of marchers were entirely unarmed and offering no violence.
The scene was nothing but an embarrassment (and the police I spoke to seemed quietly to concur). I tried to warn some young marchers not to rise to the bait by getting incensed and “disturbing the peace”. Some said “she’s right”; others ignored ol’ Whitee saying they did not understand her English!
Still, at the end of the Day the TV news (save Al Jazeera) reported that of the 100 or so “troublemakers”, were mostly “far right” [political dupes and dunces] “spoiling for a fight”, which alas was all too true! Thank goodness for the savvy wisdom of the PA leadership who predicted the bait and stayed well away!
Michèle Renouf