Peter Lazenby
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TENS of thousands of protesters gathered in more than 30 towns and cities for May Day on Saturday with demands for an end to the genocide in Gaza.
More marches and rallies are planned for today, many including Palestine blocs of marchers, as trade unionists continue to mark International Workers’ Day.
And more than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to introduce a fast-track visa scheme allowing people in Gaza to join family members in Britain, cutting bureaucracy as the government did for Ukrainian refugees.
In Leeds on Saturday, where the city’s trades union council dedicated its traditional May Day celebrations to Palestine, more than 1,000 people marched and rallied.
Speakers included Leeds East Labour MP Richard Burgon, Palestine Solidarity Campaign national chairwoman Louise Regan and Benji Charlton, a student from a Palestine protest camp at Leeds University.
Banners were raised on a march through the city centre led by union Unite’s brass band, including Leeds TUC, Leeds City RMT, National Education Union, Leeds NASUWT, Greens for Palestine, Leeds & Wakefield Community Health Workers for Palestine and Artists & Cultural Workers for Palestine.
Mr Burgon told the rally: “May Day is a reminder that our struggles are international, and this May Day we concentrate on the horrors in Gaza.
“Hundreds of thousands have marched, week after week. But the government has refused to do the right thing. We must keep up the pressure for a ceasefire, to stop the mass starvation, stop the bombing.
“We must make sure the scenes we see on our TV screens are not forgotten. The criminals must face trial.”
Ms Regan told the rally: “We know that our solidarity is needed now more than ever. We know the people of Palestine are experiencing their darkest times. We need to be their voice. But they need more than that: they need action.”
She called on the public to support the BDS campaign — boycott, divest and sanction — to block support of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and end the funding of weapons and resources to its military.
