On the evening of 7 October, pro-Palestine protestors marched through Rusholme to mark the two-year anniversary of the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war.
The protest was organised by a number of Manchester-based pro-Palestinian groups, and was held in opposition to the ongoing operations by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.
Beginning at 17:30 in Platt Fields Park, protestors carrying banners calling for “Resistance until Return” and an end to “genocide” marched up Wilmslow Road, accompanied by police both on foot and motorbikes.
Chants of “Free, free Palestine!” were heard until the march ended at the Whitworth Art Gallery, where speeches were held at around 19:00.
Speakers at both the beginning and end of the march expressed criticism of the British government, calling recognition of the Palestinian state “an attempt by the coloniser to extend control”, and describing the UK government as “increasingly fascist”.
Furthermore, speakers emphasised and praised Palestinian resistance.
Speaking to a reporter from The Mancunion, a member of Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine (GMFP) stated “on a daily basis people are being murdered […] we’re being told that because two Jewish people, quite tragically were murdered last week, that we are not allowed to go out and grieve for the 50, 60 ,70 people who are murdered daily [in Palestine]”.
When asked about student support for the pro-Palestine movement, the GMFP member stated “this notion that young people are no longer interested in politics is not proven by the attendance” and that “there has, for many years, been a very active Palestinian group” within the student community.
However, when speaking to students at the protest they were less certain about student support for the pro-Palestine movement, stating that many students on campus are “neutral” and “don’t like to be politically involved at all”.
According to GMFP, “hundreds” attended the protest, and traffic was blocked on one side of Wilmslow Road throughout the duration of the march.
The protest comes in the aftermath of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood calling on protestors in Manchester and across the country to “step back” in light of the incident in Heaton Park on 2 October, where two Jewish Mancunians were killed.
Furthermore, student protestors in particular were urged by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to avoid events on 7 October.
