Gaza Demo - A personal account of riot police violence. London 3rd January 2009

[Dosedmonkey]

The police were lighter handed then usual because of the obvious religious aspect, that could tear this country into a civil war. They aren't paid to get hit and no fight back!

[Hostile]

Where do you insane racist bastards exist? Because I never meet you in the real world. I think you all just run your mouths like little bitches when you're online, but when it's time to actually do something you cower in the dark and keep your mouths shut while people like us protest for the things we believe in. Is that about right? Shit, even the BNP kept their membership list a secret.

Send in the paratroopers: that's what Hitler would've done.

[IslamSucks1000]

Quran 9.29

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

A victory for the Muslim Palestinian people is a victory for brutal sexism, slavery, tyranny, and Islamic theocracy.

[whitelightning69]

A brilliantly one sided explanation about what happened that day. I was there too, in Trafalgar Square and towards the front of the march to the embassy. Your video is not balanced at all. Sure, there were some decent people there like me and you, but you need to realise that there was a large amount of people who were there just to cause trouble and to fight with police.. Take a look at some of the other videos posted on youtube and you will see what I mean,

[theestever]

I know, eye witness accounts can be so misleading...

Still doesn't justify the cops rushing a crowd of innocent people exercising their lawful rights. A crowd that included women and children. If the police want to combat aggressive protesters they have other tactics to use that don't include beating the crap out of innocent people, safely away from prying cameras.

[heavy246]

Thtanx alot but what impact is that going to make on the met? i want them punished for everything they did during the marches

[2pakii]

i was in the 3rd row at the front, and it was my first proper march and man it was really bad wot the police done, in retaliation some of the youth started throwing things at riot police but that did not justify them running at WOMEN AND CHILDREN! AND HITTING THEM!

[fourmanfilms]

Excellent account of what happened that day. The police have no right to stop or impede protesters otherwise acting lawfully. THey have no right to try and detain people in a tunnel who are otherwise excercising their democratic right to protest. Police need to realise they make everthing a little more unsafe evertime they act agressivel towards protesters. So far I have witnessed little violence at these demos and wonder why the police push people in corwds with riot sheilds and draw batons

[denbenenki]

whoever was at that protest may have witnessed so many british police, the number may have astounded you.

as it is in the US, the additional police were actually military dressed in police uniforms.

which these days look a lot like military anyway.

[tigga3000]

Alank2007 .. Hammas isn't the terrorist here.. it's isreal .. haven't you seen the media recently how blind are people ???!!! Isreal are clearly the terrorists not hammas STUPID !!

[alank2007]

Who is Hamas attacking then??

Good luck to Israel in their fight against the terrorist hammas

[Hostile]

Hamas isn't "attacking" anyone, Hamas is defending the people that they were elected to defend, by fighting the occupying Israeli nation who deny them medical care and break the ceasefires.

[mixmatosis]

Israel's latest war crimes:

Attempting to bulldoze houses with civilians inside.

Killing civilians trying to escape under the protection of white flags.

Opening fire on ambulances attempting to reach the wounded.

Using white phosphorous shells in civilian areas.

No wonder the bastards are trying to stop journalists entering Gaza.

[kurasagumbira]

Free Palestine!!!!!

copy and paste this to show your support for the brothers and sisters in Gaza and remember to keep them in your prayers.

[HammassaLOVESHamas]

Brilliant video!Well done!

Police pigs jus wana stop us from protesting n provoke violence.

Fuck the police the motherfuckin police!

[cookiecat100]

Check out our facebook group - 'why can't we demonstrate for Gaza in peace?'

[7778666]

thanks alot sister

[garra478]

Free Palestine!!!!!

copy and paste this to show your support for the brothers and sisters in Gaza and remember to keep them in your prayers.

[Hajji22]

what a FANTASTIC ACCOUNT!! GREAT JOURNALISM..i suggest if the other people that are going to comment on this FANTASTIC PIECE OF WORK...then MIND YOUR TONGUES...why do you have to swear? can't you express yourself without them, still teenagers are we? grow up!

[littlefury]

This "video" is total bullshit and blatant propaganda. I see no police brutality in this "video" at all. I love how you try to portray the protestors as being "peaceful" because they didn't have any missles! WTF?

[eman87]

dude, look at other youtubers' posts aye

[tiocfaidh28]

Fantastic and Viva Palestina!

Visit Palestine in 2009. View my youtube profile for web site and details of our visits this year.

We have one group going in February and another october. E mail details on web site (via my profile)

[TubeUx]

is there not a police complaints body you could report this to? I was in a simular position on saturday 10th, they charged at us, discriminatly hiting us with batons without warning! Some protesters were kicked as the sat on the ground, you can see this in another video on youtube.

[AloofMicrobe]

Olmert where are you? I will hit you with my shoe!

[mas786uk]

spot on.. i was there and this is as truthful an account as is possible... BTW regvarney..just thank your lucky stars you were put into an english man's loins..because were you a palestinian you would be first in the queue to become a suicide bomber! What Israel does is no laughing matter and these poor Palestinians have put up with your type of ignorance for over 60 years.

[frings1989]

I suggest you go and get a history book dumbass. That silly moo bleating on about someone offering a ceasefire and stop sending weopans to Isreal makes me laugh,how should they defend themselves, with rocks?

What the fuck has the Palastinian government done about the rocket attacks on Israel, fuck all while the Israeli's have evacuated thousands of civilians in the south to protect them from the rocket fire they have been recieving from Hamas for the last twelve fucking years.

[regvarney]

"We were ordinary citizens marching for peace".Fucking bollocks.You are a bunch of middle class twats supporting terrorist scum.Israel forever!

[mintychallis]

hi,i have been on different marches for years,we said to people as they left to go dont go under or the rds around hyed park the police will beet you go over the park threw it on top of it!!

[jimed]

This is what we need, to show the truth, the media only focus on the small events, with headlines like "protest turn ugly"

Show the diversity!

[dynam101]

There has been a media blackout on the march itself - that is, a peaceful march of over 100,000 people of all races and religions marching for over 2 hours in temperatures of -2. Hyde park was packed deep from speakers corner to near Lancaster gate, with crowds 100 deep. The front of the march reached Kensington High Street while the tail end was still in Bayswater - the crowd completely filled up both lanes of the road and the pavements for the whole length of Bayswater. The truth.

[sajeda]

Great video, i was there that day, at the main march, i didnt go to the embassy because my daughter was tired, but ive heard other peoples accounts of what happened and they basically echo what you've said..

[clearasdaylight]

I am slightly dissapointed by the police response, I think rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons would be a good use of my taxpayers money. Let's just hope a few of these savages got their skulls split open. Let's face it Hamas will never be a match for the heavily armed and organised IDF! And when this is all over the Hamas supporters can go back to eating Quorn burgers, wearing vegan shoes and reading the Guardian!

[n0rthernavenger]

Hey Im glad you turned out to Protest. I am here in London Canada and we just had the same type of protest outside of starbucks yesterday. We had over 200 people which is actually pretty good for this city!

[cookiecat100]

It caused complete chaos, fear, panic and several injuries - none of them police, contrary to several news reports - 3 policemen were injured later, away from the embassy, when horses and several riot police vans had arrived. Media coverage of yesterday's demo has neglected to report on the police intimidation and attacks on protesters, which is why we need to let people know what really happened!

[cookiecat100]

Thanks for this great video. We had a similar experience yesterday when police barged through a tightly packed crowd outside the embassy. They pushed the crowd toegther to the point where feet left the ground and it was hard to breathe. This was a completely unprovoked and illogical act.

[tequilatriplet79]

PART 3:

I was pushed and squashed by the police without any provocation - they came from behind and we had no chance to move on - there was no warning - no appropriate use of force! They were ANIMALS - they raised their batons at us - we were asking them to stop because children were being crushed and they pushed more! THEY CREATED THE "RIOTS"!! Shame on them!!! Shame on the media!

[tequilatriplet79]

PART 2: We were the ones who were attacked by the police - we were crushed, we calmed people as they cried - children, elderly people and innocent peaceful demonstrators who came out on this freezing day in London to call for the war on Gaza to STOP!!!

[tequilatriplet79]

PART 1: And once gain we saw the same thing happen yesterday...What the media once again failed to show is how the peaceful demonstration in support of the horrific war crimes in Gaza was turned into a riot by the irresponsible actions of the metropolitan riot police!!! WE WERE THERE!! We were marching in peace in a demonstration that was passionate and something to be proud of!

[ymk01]

Well done for providing everyone this report. We need more people to report on their own experiences of going on these demonstrations.

[joebloggs1948]

What a poor report very inarticulate just don,t look for a job in jounalism

[spazdaraz]

and to counter simonwlofie2s comment about the police helping us in an emergency....keep beleiveing the state is your friend and you will be sadly disappointed, individual freedom is not gifted to us by the state, it is being bled for on the streets of London.

[spazdaraz]

my best friend was there and his experience mirroed that of the video, disproportionate violence againest unarmed civilians! this is not Palestine, but I was there yesterday and say riot police rushing demonstrators in front of cameras, and this is democracy?

free perotest? dont make me laugh Mr Brown, this is a police state. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"- Martin Luther King Jr.

[pumpkinheadbc]

Good example of citizen journalism.

[SHSH84]

Well said !!

[Chedog4444]

Great film... The police in Oslo just did the same thing...

[flyingdragon2007]

and before anyone makes the point, the incidents i meant are recorded on other youtube videos obviously not on this one by someone trying to make a point which is driven by her own opinions without providing any evidence of it. I think what Israel is doing is disgusting, but perhaps showing a greater moral fiber instead of resorting to violence is the most effective way of delivering the message. I personally will by boycotting all Israeli products

[flyingdragon2007]

What a load of rubbish! There are videos of people on here throwing metal barricades at police officers doing nothing but standing in a line screaming at them and calling them 'pussies'. It amazes me, what you seem to want is no police presence or one which allows you to do whatever you like!!?? I saw a great deal of aggression towards police officers, who don't forget are human as well and have every right to defend themselves as you do.

[saladphobia]

Hmmm the old bill were so violent, where is the evidence, oh there is nonw.

Im sick to the back teeth of leftie's in this counrty getting involved in things that done concern them. Protests taking valuable police resources from our neighbourhoods.

[simonwolfie2]

you throw so many miissles at the police (you as in the protesters) the police where out numbered so y would u try and push past them wait your turn next time and u wont get a slap. rember the arabs and going to save u from geting robbed raped or murderd the police will so get it right u lefty

[bosco1013]

Simonwoldie2 is correct. I have seen many videos from earlier in the day (before riot police got there) and people were fighting the police. the police were outnumbered and had no protective gear on and idiots were throwing themselves at them. I have also seen another video of people throwing the railings etc at police. I do realise that most of the people were trying to have a peaceful demonstration but there was a minority who were mindlessely attacking the police

[trigger1471]

well said bosco...im not being funny but there was plenty of media cover showing the actions against the police,spazdaraz you are right,this is not Palestine as if it was you would have been shot(by hamas)for acting in the way that they did.

[frankieboyo1969]

They shouldn't have charged Police Officers in the tunnel and attacked them. All the moans re Police wearing zero hoods (in the freezing cold .. heard of PPE?)yet these thugs were wearing khafiyas as balaclavas and attacking police.

Only thing you are standing up for is public disorder and rioting. Delusional, much?

Sickened

[mrchips]

you are very courageous

i was also in this march but I joint on the other side of the tunnel

police were getting pushed back by people advancing

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU who stayed in that tunnel showing peace, justice and solidarity to our Palestinian friends

SOLIDARITY

[youneedWD40]

You are very couragious just like the ones you support in Gaza. Allah (swt) dislikes the oppressors infact HE our lord takes the oppressed and the poor the destitute as HIS friends. Remember the words of Jesus (pbuh) the Meek shall inherit the Earth. It is true that all tyrants will go down in history not as heros but just as TYRANTS. Regarding demo's the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have said until a person calls a Tyrant ruler as a Tyrant to his face his faith is incomplete. Down Down Israel!!

[ImaScotsman]

Fantastic video, i was at a march in edinburgh on monday night which passed off peacefully. The police there said there was alot of trouble at the london march but your video and many others prove otherwise.

More state run media and police activites go unchecked as usuall.

Fight the oppression !

[pals2009]

well reported, many thanx. I was in the front line at some point we were very peaceful, but the police behavior was very aggreassive and threatening towards the demonstrators. They just wanted to stop pople from reaching the Israeli embassy at any cost even if they had to beat up peaceful demonstrators!

I tell all those ignorants, go and do some reasearch and get your facts right and stop making fools of yourselves by writing stupid comments!

[Krazed4Life]

i was at the front an i got my head split open an as my cousin come to help help riot police started hitting him rom every angle randomly......

these police need to be charged.

[farawladee]

Great account of what happened especially in the underpass , its no wonder the stupid police didnt wnat any journalists etc.... I was there & it was quite frightening there were kids & babies too

[Gasurn]

I was there very near the front of this whole incident and I agree with the vast majority of what was said here. However unjustified and indefensible the Police actions were, there was undeniably some bad behaviour from sections of the protest (throwing placards, cones etc) that undoubtedly pissed the police off.

[BenBen153]

You say you weren't doing anything illegal, yet you were essentially blocking a public walkway with your own bodies. Hundreds of people defiantly preventing access for the general public to facilities such as schools, hospitals, and their own homes sounds a lot like what you were protesting against. Keep your protest from inconveniencing the public and maybe they will listen to you.

[joni9780]

Great report, Police teargased people in the tunnel too,terrible.BBC not reported truth, SKy news did abit. Ive seen this loads of times at demos that started peacefully like j18 & mayday, BBCworkers I know admit they know about kettling provocatuer tactics, but editors stop them reporting it.If on large demos with seasoned activists there are kids blocs& police dont usually attack them, at 1 climate camp they beat up a nazi farmer who literally tried to run our kids over with his tractor.

[jenks1937]

Thanks for a report that is always and conveniently absent in any news report,when ever they care to report. Gratitude to the  people {what ever label they may be}of trying to bring attention to the extreme misery,suffering,humiliation of a displaced people that the world has for so long chose to ignore, these are all the destructive and insane actions of a group of seriously deluded individuals called zionists and if we observe the other international crime in Iraq,Afghanistan ,the neocon nuts.

[waheed101]

Well reported, its a shame the charges weren't caught on camera.

[Audiocodes]

Well reported, thanks.

[Defusions]

firstly how would you know if missles were thrown if you werent near the front, nor could you see how the frontline of the march were behaviouring, in a seriously violent manner!

[badnewswade]

It's not even possible to throw missiles, it's an underpass you twonk! Or have we been watching different videos? Have you ever even been to that place? It's a claustrophobic, cramped space and just herding the demonstrators into it was extremely irresponsible, never mind charging them. We'll be lucky if no-one was seriously hurt.

[Defusions]

im very aware of it, i was there

[rahuling125]

this is the democracy that we try and hold but it is being taken away from us, we need more marches

[hibernius]

its not about cops being in riot gear, no suprise. They were just trying out some tactics and mind games.This is superb citizen journalism.Anyone who thinks the police are generally proportionate with political demonstrations are probably very inexperienced in the field i.e couch critics and keyboard warriors. 

The surveillance state is getting worse. Palestine demos are can get fruity at the best of times but this could actually have gone worse. Morning Star has it on front page btw.

[bubble2190]

Hibernius, you are clearly dellusional. The Police will turn on ANY crowd, regardless of its cause. Police officers are white, black, brown, jewish, muslim, they have no interest, they just want to go home or be back in there cars answerin 999 call san dhelping people.