Author
Chris Nineham
Date
15 July 2014
Type
News
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protestors outside BBC Five thousand protestors blockade BBC. Photo: Fiona Edwards

The BBC was blockaded by thousands of protestors tonight – part of a mass popular upsurge against the Israeli onslaught on the Palestinians and Britain’s support for it argues Chris Nineham

Tonight saw the biggest protest against BBC bias anyone can remember. Over five thousand people blocked the road and temporarily blockaded the BBC over their blatant pro-Israeli bias.

Police failed to clear the road and traffic was forced to reverse out of the area. 
 
The atmosphere was intense and angry as speaker after speaker detailed the profound failure of the BBC to represent the opinions and experience of the Palestinian people. The crowd chanted ‘are you going to film us? Are you going to film us?’ and ‘BBC Shame on you – Palestinians are people too’.  
 
As if to underline their commitment to the Israeli cause the BBC interviewed Tony Blair on the peace process as the protest gathered!
 
This is the second massive mobilisation in London over Palestine in a few days and there were huge protests at the BBC studios in other cities around the country. 
 
What we are witnessing is a mass popular upsurge against the Israeli onslaught on the Palestinians and Britain’s support for it. It is building to a National demonstration on Saturday which could be the biggest demo of any kind for years.
 
The demonstration is starting at Downing Street at 12 midday and marching to the Israeli Embassy for a rally.
 
Coaches are being put on from towns and cities across the country. It is estimated there are 30 coaches coming from the West Midlands alone.      
 
It is up to all of us to maximise the turnout in the next few days by sharing and tweeting the details and distributing leaflets available from the Stop the War office.
 
As one speaker said: today we blocked the street, on Saturday we will block the city.

Chris Nineham

Chris Nineham is a founder member of Stop the War and Counterfire, speaking regularly around the country on behalf of both. He is author of The People Versus Tony Blair and Capitalism and Class Consciousness: the ideas of Georg Lukacs.

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