With governments not doing anything to stop the illegal mass murder in Gaza, and Starmer’s appalling government carrying out increasingly authoritarian measures against anyone who dares to show their opposition, how do we stop the horror?
There are plenty of inspiring examples around of action to take, from Defend Our Juries’ rapidly growing actions making a mockery of the government’s ludicrous proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, to the dockers of Genoa, Marseille, Athens and elsewhere blocking arms shipments to Israel.
So join us for a drink and a chat with local activists to discuss what to do next, as we show you some banging films to give you more ideas …
1) NOT IN OUR NAME – THE RAYTHEON 9 (30 mins)
On 9th August 2006, 9 activists from the Derry Anti-War Coalition occupied the Raytheon arms factory in Derry, causing £350,000 worth of damage. The factory was supplying bombs to Israel that were being used in the bombing of Lebanon.
They denied nothing, and said they committed a crime to stop a greater crime by Israel.. On 11th June 2008, they were acquitted of all charges.
This is their story.
2) YAEL KAHN (19 mins)
A short documentary about the life of Yael Kahn, a Jewish Israeli pro-Palestine activist. Yael was born in Israel to German parents who escaped Nazism in the 1940's. Upon learning about the Nakba and the ongoing colonisation of Palestine as a young woman, she became an activist and an outspoken advocate for the Palestinians. Her lifetime of activism has been relentless, to the point that she can no longer return to Israel as the state would imprison her. She tells us about the 1973 and 1982 wars, the first intifada and her ongoing activism since she moved to the UK.
Earlier this year Yael was arrested for speaking out against the state of Israel – but the prosecution has just given up and dropped all charges. Yael will be present to give an update and to facilitate a discussion.
PLUS: 3) LONDON UNDERGROUND STRIKE
Tube union RMT have announced rolling strike action across the network beginning on Friday 5th September for seven days, with different grades taking industrial action at differing times.
The strikes come after management refused to engage seriously with union demands on pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns and a reduction in the working week, as well as failing to honour previous agreements made with staff.
Reel News video of the strike, with RMT union rep Phil Rowan giving an update and facilitating a discussion about how we can help the tubeworkers win.
As always, it’s a free event. Book a spot now.
