From music, theatre, and art and literature to comedy and sport, Palestine solidarity is becoming the norm, showing the power of our movement, shows Lucy Nichols

The Palestine movement has permeated all spheres of life. A wide range of cultural figures have spoken out against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, showing that solidarity with Palestine is now in the mainstream.

The genocide in Gaza is one of the most shocking displays of cruelty in living memory. Israel’s evil clearly has few limits. The rest of the world’s governments seem to be ignoring the genocide, while supporting Israel with all the arms and political legitimacy it needs.

One of Britain’s biggest political movements has grown out of this catastrophe, changing the face of British politics and politicising millions of people. No section of society has been untouched by this genocide and the movement against it. This includes culture.

Hundreds of cultural figures have now spoken out for Palestine. This includes musicians, dancers, actors, artists, photographers, fashion designers, comedians, footballers, and more. 

Each national demonstration for Palestine will have at least one well-known cultural figure speaking to the masses. There are also a huge number of cultural figures who, although not quite speaking on demonstrations, have demonstrated solidarity in other ways.

It probably isn’t a stretch to say that a Palestine flag has appeared on some stage, at some point, at every major music festival this summer. Footballer Mo Salah called out Uefa on Twitter over its reporting on Israel’s murder of Suleiman al-Obeid, a Palestinian footballer. A dancer waved a Palestine flag on stage at the Royal Opera, which had since scrapped its performance of Puccini’s Tosca in Tel Aviv, after opposition from staff.

Stephen Kapos, who regularly speaks on demonstrations, was invited onto Good Morning Britain, where he was asked about his experiences of the Holocaust and how they are mirrored today in Gaza. Walking through Notting Hill Carnival with a Palestine flag, Counterfire members were constantly stopped for fist bumps, chants, and photos. All of this is hugely significant and demonstrates the strength of our movement.

This is not new. Major protest movements have often been supported by cultural figures, with culture playing a key part of these movements. Gerard Winstanley wrote ‘the Diggers’ Song’ during the Diggers’ movement in favour of agrarian socialism and land rights in the seventeenth century.

William Morris, whose print and textile designs are world-famous, was a committed revolutionary socialist for the latter part of his life. 

Authors from Spain and elsewhere wrote novels about their experiences of the Spanish Civil War as part of the resistance against Franco. Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Gil Scott-Heron, Bob Dylan and many more brought themes of anti-racism and equality into their music in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, the Palestine movement in Britain and around the world is supported by key cultural figures, with films, books, music and art inspired by the fight for Palestinian liberation. This is not to mention the huge role cultural resistance plays in Palestine itself.

This cultural involvement in our political struggles is something to encourage and expand upon. When we have the state resorting to draconian measures to shut down dissent, and a growing far-right movement launching their own kind of culture wars, we need to be fighting against this in every way we can. 

We are continuing to mobilise for Palestine, and there is no sign that this movement will slow down. The involvement of cultural figures, their art and their platforms will add to the weight of pressure on the government, and will contribute to the staying power of the movement and its reach across society.

From this month’s Counterfire freesheet