Yesterday, two years after Israel launched its pre-announced genocide …
… five UK factories were targeted by Palestine Solidarity Campaign as making components for the F-35s used by Israel in its mass murderous ethnic cleansing of Gaza. I’d planned to combine a visit to friends on the Sussex coast with a protest at a Lockheed Martin factory in Havant near Portsmouth but clean forgot – though when Jackie rang to remind me I made out I hadn’t – that she and I were booked for a Duke Ellington tribute that evening at Sheffield’s Crucible.
Cutting short my trip I overnighted late Tuesday at Milton Keynes Park & Ride, one minute from the M1. At first light I headed north at my customary fuel-conserving 50mph, stopping to shower and caffeinate at Leicester Forest Services. My Plan B was to join one of the other four protests; this one at a Forged Solutions factory in my home town.
I was late of course. First, the postcode I gave Google Maps took me to the acres of car park for Meadowhall shopping complex. Second, Forged Solutions Group’s Sheffield operation spans at least two sites. I called it wrong, landed a mile and a half from where I needed to be, and by the time I washed up at the right place it was closer to twelve than the scheduled eleven. Better late than never, I told myself as I parked up at Meadowhall P & R to ankle down Wincobank hill …
… to join two hundred likemindeds, lightly policed, at the gates of shame. There, to a backdrop of motorway traffic hurtling over Tinsley Flyover, I set to work documenting for posterity.
I missed it but Jackie elected to be one of those reading out the names of the murdered, on silk ribbons picked from a basket prior to being attached to the gates.
Midweek the attendance was always going to see baby boomers disproportionally represented so it was pleasantly surprising to see a respectable student presence too.
Caroline, busted in London, September 6, for holding a sign supporting the non violent direct action group, Palestine Action
Forged Solutions security guards
In luminous orange stands Jon, also busted on the September 6 mass defiance
Sheffield Socialist Choir
Moments of casual intimacy, frozen in time, are my favourite part of photographing such events, though I didn’t catch too many yesterday. My rule is not to take – or if I do so inadvertently, not to keep – anything I wouldn’t wish to appear in myself.
This shot doesn’t do justice to the moment. When the bus stopped for traffic lights, poster man did a carpe diem, forcing the passengers to engage with him. See the woman to his left, wishing she wasn’t there while pretending he isn’t, though the Asian guys on the upper deck seem to be enjoying themselves.
Stop the genocide now.
* * *
Thank you for all you do Phil.
Regarding the Israeli genocide, I feel like “one of the many wondering how to make up for doing the square root of fuck all to stand against said crime of the century,”. Reblogging all the monstrous acts Israel is guilty of and monthly Dd’s to PSC, B’Tselem et al, really doesn’t cut it. (Mind you some of the headings I’ve titled my blogs might yet get me arrested).
The efforts of so many steadfast and brave souls is uplifting but then you read Kemi Badenoch’s condemnation of the peaceful protests against a genocide…..
“extremism has gone unchecked” and
“You see it manifest in the shameful behavior on the streets of our cities. Protests which are in fact carnivals of hatred directed at the Jewish homeland,”
while in the same address she comes out with this gem…. “on our humanity and our values of freedom, compassion, and respect.” Perhaps she doesn’t understand what the word “humanity” actually means, or, for that matter “compassion” and “respect” or even “values of freedom” which the UK government has tried to relieve us of.
The self aware folk realise that neither Labour under Starmer or the Tories will be representing the UK as a government in the near future and they do more for Palestine than my paltry efforts. Their total lack of any kind of awareness of what is happening and how in fact their words condemn themselves precisely because many British human beings still have ” humanity and values of freedom, compassion, and respect.”
Starmer and Badenoch have no shame which is why they really do undermine any legitimacy with regard governance except as an immoral and totally obtuse kakistocracy.
Particularly liked the Israeli demonstrator with a placard and the Calder Valley presence and of course the Sheffield choristers. Wonderful!
Best regards,
Susan
You refer to my previous post. I wish I’d expressed myself more thoughtfully when I had not meant to shame since guilt-tripping (a) seldom works and (b) ill suits me, who spent decades doing the square root of fuck all – and not just on Palestine.
Only to ask that people who know what is happening to be evil, but feel powerless, start by reading the third party post featured. There’s a ton of stuff folk can do, not onerous and miles short of what you do, but in its small way making a difference and, as a bonus, empowering. Like putting a Palestine flag in the window – an online search will find one for next day delivery – wearing a keffiyeh – ditto – going on a protest event, or engaging kith and kin on the genocide.
I agree with the rest of your comment of course. I hadn’t caught Badenough’s remarks but was sickened to read Starmer’s. What a sorry car crash of a human being!
“Starmer and Badenoch have no shame which is why they really do undermine any legitimacy with regard governance except as an immoral and totally obtuse kakistocracy.”
Looks like that model is being field tested over the pond:
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/10/09/us-wormtongue-suggests-trump-has-dictator-like-powers/
Check out the video on X:
https://x.com/JamieBonkiewicz/status/1975527033854959675
“The president has Plenary Authority” and then suddenley, Stve Miller freezes and clams up.
Wonder how that version of no seperation of powers model will play out on this side of the pond?
Meanwhile……
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/10/09/british-government-abandons-british-flotilla-activists/
…….. British hostages kidnapped in international waters by Israeli pirates and brutalised whilst being held captive are further detained on their arrival at Heathrow.