Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan

I know how upsetting and overwhelming the news from Gaza has been, for  many of you. Day after day, for two long years, the same horror repeats itself, and yet some  are still  indifferent, as if Palestinian lives mean nothing, as if they aren’t even human beings! 

What a rotten, sick, dehumanised world  it  is that  some watch genocide unfold in real time and still choose silence!  The reports we’re seeing now of people starving, children going without food, aid convoys being blocked are utterly  heart breaking. 

What’s happening in Gaza isn’t just a crisis, it’s a man-made tragedy, and it’s getting worse by the day. Do people understand the mental toll  all  this is taking?  It’s unbearable, and people have next to no idea that what we’re seeing on our screens, doesn’t begin to describe the reality on the ground. 

At least 42 Palestinians, including five aid seekers, have been killed and 190 others injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours, The recent invasion of Deir al-Balah has only added to the horror. Families already displaced and traumatised are being forced to flee once again, and the lives of the remaining Israeli hostages are in even greater danger because of this continued escalation. 

Gaza City is living through one of its harshest phases, as the Israeli military assault targets its neighbourhoods and drives residents into forced displacement, hundreds of thousands insist on staying, clinging to their city and hope they can foil Israel’s plans to destroy it. 

While at  same time  we are told to cheer when Western governments recognise the State of Palestine  and we are urged to stay riveted by the soap operas of the West, the feigned “martyrdoms” of men like Charlie Kirk, while the true martyrs, those without choice, those without cameras, are buried by bulldozers in Gaza. 

The number of deaths caused by hunger and malnutrition in Gaza has risen to 453, including 150 children, the Hamas-run Health Ministry has said. Something has to happen to make all  this stop. The Israeli Government must end this offensive, open the borders to let aid in, and allow international journalists in to report freely. We need diplomacy now not more bombs. People deserve food, safety, and dignity, no matter who they are or where they live. 

Meanwhile   Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan to end the war in Gaza has been accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Hamas is yet to issue an official response.

Though Hamas is "leaning toward accepting" the deal, a source told CBS News but its key requirements haven't really changed since it first agreed to a ceasefire in July 2024,  it demands Israel withdraw from most of Gaza and agree to end the war. 

Remember  though  that  Hamas already accepted a US ceasefire proposal in August  but Israel then demanded the group release all the hostages at once and bombed the Hamas negotiators when they met to discuss the amended offer in Doha in early September.  

The Trump plan contains elements that run counter to the goals of both Hamas (survival and continued armed struggle from within the Palestinian territories) and Israel (control of Gaza, destruction of Hamas, prevention of the Palestinian Authority taking over, prevention of a Palestinian state).

Israel has outwardly agreed to the plan, while Hamas will face intense pressure from Qatar and Egypt to accept it. Trump has said he will give Hamas three to four days to meet his demands. This plan is not an offer, as Trump has made quite clear. It’s an ultimatum. 

Hamas was not given any details on the proposal prior to Trump and Netanyahu unveiling it at the White House, a senior leader told Al Jazeera Mubasher. “Not a single Palestinian has reviewed this plan, and what was recounted … represents a tilt toward the Israeli vision—an approach close to what Netanyahu insisted on and pleaded for—to continue the war and the annihilation. Nothing more, nothing less,” said senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi immediately following the Trump–Netanyahu press conference. 

“To negotiate an end to this criminal war in exchange for ending the Palestinian people’s right to their state and their rights to their land, homeland, and holy sites—no Palestinian will accept that.”  Mardawi said that Hamas and other Palestinian factions would need to study the proposal, adding that, “the official position must be issued after reading the proposal and then stating our position and making amendments that conform with our right to self-determination.” 

The last time Hamas leaders gathered to discuss a U.S. proposal, on September 9, Israel attempted to assassinate its negotiators.  

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said Tuesday that Egypt and Qatar had delivered the plan to Hamas and, along with Turkish officials, would be holding a “consultative meeting.” Al-Ansari added, “We are optimistic that Trump’s plan is comprehensive, and the Hamas delegation is studying it responsibly, and we continue to consult with them.”  

While Trump praised his own plan as a landmark opportunity for “eternal peace in the Middle East,” the exclusion of all Palestinians from the process is an extension of decades of Western colonial dominance of decision-making surrounding the future of Palestine. 

Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich  has slammed PM Netanyahu for accepting Trump's plan and thus missing "a historic opportunity to break free from the shackles of the Oslo Accords." Netanyahu said that establishing a Palestinian state "is not even written in the agreement."

At the heart of Trump’s plan is a thinly-veiled ultimatum to Palestinians: bend the knee to Israel, renounce the right of armed resistance, and agree to indefinite subjugation by foreign actors.

Here is the full text of the proposal, as provided by the White House:  

1. Gaza will be a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours.  

2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.  3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.

4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.  

5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after 7 October 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. 

6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. 

7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the 19 January 2025 agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.  

8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under 19 January 2025 agreement. 

9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the "Board of Peace," which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of state to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform programme, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump's peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment. 

10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energise Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.  Leaders in Middle East and Europe welcome Trump's Gaza peace plan  Trump's Gaza plan is a significant step - but faces fundamental obstacles  

11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.

12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. 

13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarisation of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration programme all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbours.  

14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbours or its people.  

15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.  16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.  

17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.  

18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.  

19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform programme is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.  

20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

Here's my personal  response to  this so called peace plan. This is not a roadmap to peace, but a ceasefire package favoring Israel. It is colonialism dressed up as diplomacy.

Unlike Oslo or Camp David, it omits borders, Jerusalem, settlements, refugees, and a two-state vision. Palestinians gain no sovereignty or justice, only disarmament and control. 

It demands the “de-radicalization” of Palestinians. It insists that all Israeli captives be released within 48 hours, while only some Palestinian detainees would be freed. 

It installs a foreign-designed governance system: a temporary “technocratic” committee overseen by a body convened by the U.S. with European and Arab partners . It proposes a foreign “stabilization force” to police Gaza, disarm resistance groups, and secure Israel’s interests . Reconstruction and the economy would be dictated externally, not by Palestinians themselves .

The result is not peace, but the entrenchment of repression with Israeli impunity guaranteed and the Palestinian right to self-determination denied, enforced by the very powers complicit in their dispossession. Hamas says it can't sign up to anything that does not include Palestinian self-determination. Which this, pointedly, doesn't.

The plan simply envisions a U.S run trusteeship for 10 years, turning the Strip into a “Riviera of the Middle East and sadly begins with the “voluntary” relocation of 2M Palestinians. It is genocide packaged as real estate. The plan also kicks Hamas out without giving Palestinians a real say, hands Gaza to foreign overseers, and tells Palestinians to give up their weapons while Israel keeps all its military power. Nothing about Trump's "Peace Plan" guarantees a Palestinian state, and nowhere does it acknowledge Gaza as a Palestinian homeland. 

Trump may dream of a Nobel Peace Prize, but that is where it ends. For Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, he offers neither vision nor even the start of a genuine political process, nor does he challenge Netanyahu's outright opposition to Palestinian statehood. In reality, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority alike are being forced to choose between foreign rule or open-ended occupation, without any clear framework.

Meanwhile  Israel gets more breathing room, global cover, and a weaker, divided Palestine thus making it easier for Israel to expand settlements and tighten control over the land. This plan is not peaceful in any shape or form,  it is just a full-on public relations stunt aimed at shielding war criminal Netanyahu from international prosecution while attempting to uphold a declining Zionist narrative. 

While at the same time seeks to strip Palestinians of integrity, dignity, solidarity, self-determination, and above all, their homeland. It does absolutely nothing to alleviate the pain, heartbreak and misery or in anyway hold Israel accountable for genocide or punish them for killing hundreds of thousands of people, releasing all the thousands of Palestinian hostages and ending the cruel barbaric occupation. A civilized world cannot accept this and must be rejected outright by world leaders. 

Trump and Netanyahu call this a peace plan but it's  reprehensible and is nothing more than a blueprint for permanent occupation. Whitewashing the oceans of innocent blood Israel  has already spilled and encouraging  them  to "finish the job"

Imagine: Donald Trump crowned head of a “Board of Peace” and Tony Blair, the Iraq war criminal,  who should be in The Hague, deciding Gaza’s future. Palestinians are erased from the table, while the U.S. and Israel script their oppression. What the Palestinian people deserve is not another sham, but real peace: justice, freedom, and security. Gaza belongs to the Palestinians. Anything less is unacceptable. Real peace needs a concrete roadmap, not empty pauses. 

Stop arming Israel. End the genocide. Free Palestine.

“Peace deal”

Yemeni Cartoonist Kamal Sharaf  cartoon on Trump’s plan to “end” the genocide in Gaza.

Say no to digital ID cards

The Government has announced that they are planning to introduce mandatory Digital ID cards called “BritCard” that would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives,  In  what appears to  be a desperate attempt to control and limit us.  

Digital ID is being pushed in the name of convenience and security, but in reality, it hands unprecedented control to governments, corporations, and unelected bodies,  while giving the state enormous control and treat the population with suspicion. Introducing one in Britain would fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with the state, eroding our rights and freedoms.  

Keir Starmer has defended  these plans for a new digital ID held on people’s phones as an “enormous opportunity” for the UK amid a fierce backlash.  

The Prime Minister said: “I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country. A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering. Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure.  

And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly – rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.”  

We all want to be able to prove who we are safely, privately, and conveniently but while digital ID I guess can be helpful for some people in certain situations, it is certainly not a magic solution for all scenarios. 

People in marginalised, vulnerable and minority groups are more likely to have reduced access to online services (e.g. people with disabilities, low income or the elderly), particularly where digital identity is a requirement. While many of us do  not have access to  smartphones, 

Digital ID is not a neutral piece of technology. It is a mechanism of control. Once accepted, it will shape the conditions of your daily life, whether you can work, access healthcare, travel, or even use your own money.

The digital ID would  be  used  as an authoritative proof of identity and residency status in the UK and include name, date of birth, and a photo as well as information on nationality and residency status , which potentially connects your employment, tax, benefits to your passport, your criminal record, your health records, NHS access, your driving license, and very probably to your internet and social media access. 

This is not a left or right issue. It does not matter if you are Conservative, Labour, Green, Reform, or even a lifelong communist. Digital ID does not discriminate by party. It is an infrastructure of surveillance that, once built, will be used by whoever holds power next, and the one after that.

Authoritarians want the ID cards. Ordinary people are being lied to about what Digital ID is.  Anyone who understands the implications of centralized tracking/surveillance system and how it will be abused understands it's a bad idea. No citizen is safe when freedom becomes conditional on a digital profile. History shows us the trajectory.

South Africa’s pass laws. East Germany’s Stasi. Modern-day China’s social credit system. Each began with assurances that ordinary citizens had nothing to fear. Each grew into systems that monitored, excluded, and controlled entire populations. 

To believe Britain is immune to that pattern is wilful blindness. Technical arguments matter too. A centralised database will be a permanent target for hackers, foreign states, and criminals. 

Data leaks will be catastrophic because biometric identifiers cannot be changed. System errors will strand innocent people outside hospitals, workplaces, and homes. The poor, the elderly, and the disabled will be hit hardest.  

I do not trust a Government with ID cards which, among other things, abuses its power now to label a non-violent group protesting against a genocide, as “terrorists”, with all the draconian legal consequences that result from such a label.

Today it's a mandatory ID card to prove you have the right to work but in the future you might have to use it to access the NHS, to rent or buy a home, or to access benefits. These schemes always expand. Once the infrastructure is in place, it's easy to  sleepwalk into surveillance state where we constantly have to prove who we are just to go about our daily lives. It will be a bureacratic nightmare.

A centralised database could be shared across government departments and the police, and fed into AI systems that effectively create an authoritarian pre-crime state. 

Digital ID cards can be used by abusers who want to control. For example, abusers will be able to prevent someone from getting a job by denying them access to their digital ID.

This is dangerous for everyone in the UK. Alongside very serious concerns about civil liberties, data security and misuse, ID cards are also  a huge waste of money,

In WW2 it was mandatory for UK citizens to carry ID cards everywhere, at all times. After the war, In 1950, Harry Willcock, a 54-year-old dry-cleaner and former councillor, refused to show his identity card,   he stated to the Police Officer demanding his ID; “I am a Liberal, I am against this sort of thing.” His case helped turn the tide. Citizens rejected this authoritarian control as  they  were deemed fundamentally at odds with British values and civil liberties. and  protested against ID cards, 

In April 1951, members of the British Housewives’ League burned ID cards outside Parliament. Within months, in February 1952, the new  Churchill government abolished them.  What was true then is  also  true now.

Starmer's views himself as a shepherd and the people as his flock of sheep. But in his dystopian vision of society, we are mere chattel to be controlled by ever more encroaching laws. A former prosecutor, for him we are  all of us guilty until proved innocent.  He is  mendacious, malevolent, conniving  and corrupt.

We need to send a loud and clear message to him that we do not support mandatory digital ID cards. 

Far from being a panacea to solve illegal migration, digital ID cards would give the government unprecedented mass surveillance powers and the risk of malicious access to our personal data can not be overstated. 

We’re already living through an unprecedented crackdown on hard-won freedoms. Labour has branded Palestine Action a terrorist group, locked up climate protesters for taking part in a Zoom call and threatened privacy online. 

Now Starmer wants to force people to put all their details on their phones.  Downing Street claims there will be “no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it”, but with the latest polls suggesting a Reform government would be a “near-certainty” it’s hard to avoid the question of what Farage would do with this handy tool for authoritarian control. Starmer’s half-baked pre-conference distraction may prove to be his most costly blunder yet.

Tony Blair tried all this in the 2000s with the Identity Cards Act, and again in 2021 through the Institute for Global Change. British people were not stupid, It was rejected  then, and  must  be rejected again for very good reasons. We’ve already got  birth  certificates, passports, National Insurance numbers, driving licences etc.

We don’t need compulsory Digital ID cards! A hard no to digital ID, surveillance, control, and conditional freedom. No consent. Not now. Not ever. As Liberty  has said :  "Technological advancements mean that digital ID systems pose an  even greater risk to privacy than they did when last proposed in the  2000s." https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/digital-id-liberty-position/

Digital ID won’t “control immigration”  It will however  control you!  BritCard / Digital ID  will also  fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with the state and turn Britain into a “papers, please” society, putting the burden on all of us to prove our right to be here. It must be campaigned against and rejected.

Over 1 million people so far for a multitude of different reasons have signed the  following  petition telling Starmer that they will not comply with his mandatory ID cards. Please sign and share.

It reads: "We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards." 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194?fbclid=IwY2xjawNDZ4pleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETA2cHNoaHNxOXVteFpxRkVtAR4I6F2B6ayTne0xMzx7SRKZQx_Mibpr4o0Xliw9ghXDx-GDOezTJJsr-RBn8Q_aem_FhltJMOPvSK5yf2Phd5RjA

First they came for

 

The following is adapted from the original poem by Martin Niemöller written in 1946 following the horrors of WW2 that lots of people are currently sharing after Jimmy Kimmel and  all others repressed in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death. While most understand the poem’s a reflection on the Nazi rise to power, we can’t forget how ultimately it does start from state repression of the left. 

It also came into my mind because of the orgy of hate that is being whipped up in Britain against asylum seekers. I think too of the many journalists killed and silenced in Gaza.

First they came for

First they came for the Palestinians 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not Palestinian. 

Then they came for the refugees 

But I did not speak out 

Because I was not a refugee 

Then they came for people of colour

but I did not speak out

Because I was not a person of colour 

Then they came for the Muslims 

but I did not speak out 

Because I was not Muslim 

Then they came for the disabled 

But I did not speak out 

Because I was not disabled 

Then they came for the Trans community

But I did not speak out 

Because I was not Trans 

Then they came for the rest of the LGBTQ+ community 

But I did not speak out Because I was not LGBTQ+ 

Then they came for the socialists, 

But I did not speak out 

Because I was not a socialist 

Then they came for the trade unionists 

But I did not speak out 

Because I was not a trade unionist 

Then they came for the anti-fascists 

But I did not speak out

Because I was not an anti-fascist 

Then they came for the poor, the vulnerable

But I  did not speak out 

Because I was none of these 

Then they came for the journalists 

But I did not speak out

Because I was not a journalist 

Then they came for me 

And there was no one left 

To speak out for me

Nobody left at all.  

First they came for- Martin Niemöller 

First they came for the Communists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a Communist 

Then they came for the Socialists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a Socialist 

Then they came for the trade unionists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a trade unionist 

Then they came for the Jews 

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew 

Then they came for me 

And there was no one left 

To speak out for me.  

Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a German Lutheran pastor and prominent Confessing Church leader who initially supported the Nazis but later became a vocal critic.and was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen and Dachau from from 1938 to 1945. but survived the war. After the war he became a campaigning pacifist.  died on  the  6th  of  March 1984 aged 92.

His lines, written just after the Holocaust, were used as a confession of his own inaction  and to argue against apathy, inaction in the face of oppression and for the moral connectedness of all people. At the core of human nature whether religious, secular or spiritual, is a profound evolutionary disposition towards compassion, fairness and kindness. 

Niemöller’s words still act as a warning about the ease with which such an event could occur again, if we of the present allow ourselves to become ignorant of the lessons of the past. Human beings are capable of doing such wicked things, so that is why we should continue to confront the dangers of intolerance, hate, racism and fascism, and defeat the ideas that continue to create so much pain  and continue to use our voices and speak out.

Elie Wiesel  once  famously stated, "What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander" and "Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented"

Martin Niemöller didn't think the Nazis would come for him. People who are comfortable with other groups of people being rounded up, tortured, and murdered are always surprised when they are members of the next group to hate. Niemöller's "First They Came..." is a reminder that a totalitarian government starts by persecuting people it's easy to dislike, to get us used to the abuse. And by the time you're on the list yourself, it's too fucking late.

We have to learn from history, and we have to fight like hell to shift our course towards a future in which all people are treated with dignity, and human rights and international law are universally upheld. Everything depends on it.

Martin Niemöller 

Autumn Equinox Meditation

Autumn Equinox Meditation

Autumn Equinox/ Mabon 

A time to embrace balance, 

A magical period for reflection

Enabling pathways of transition, 

Hours of light and dark equal 

Air crisp while leaves turn gold,  

The trees speak of change 

Under a waning, cooling sun,

As the veil between the worlds thin 

A moment of release and gratitude, 

In Palestine hope still glistens 

Though life hangs by a thread,

A land scarred by destruction 

But still alive with resilience,

Despite each night in pain, hunger

Hearts steadfast release prayer,

Holding on to their land and faith

Voices refuse to be silenced, 

The cry for justice keeps echoing  

Lets send blessings and healing.  

Happy Autumn Equinox / Mabon.  Don't stop  speaking  about Palestine.   🍉🙏🏼

Donald Trump’s royal banquet

 

On September 17, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were honored with an extravagant state banquet at Windsor Castle during his unprecedented second official state visit to the United Kingdom. Hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the event described across media outlets as a "lavish" display of royal pomp and diplomacy brought together 160 high-profile guests in the historic St. George's Hall for an evening of fine dining, speeches, and subtle geopolitical signaling. 

This marked the first time a world leader has received two such visits, underscoring the enduring U.S.-UK "special relationship" amid global tensions like the war in Ukraine  and the  ongoing conflict  in  Gaza. Surrounded by high-level politicians, a media mogul, tech giants and athletes, the grandeur-loving Donald Trump was treated to a fawning spectacle at a banquet at Windsor Castle as the best of British royal finery was rolled out for the banquet, while thousands protested in London against Trump's policies.  

Inside the 50-metre-long grand Waterloo Table was set with 1,462 pieces of silver that sparkled in the light from 139 candles. Royal staff were on hand to cater to 160 guests, who were seated at the 50-metre-long grand Waterloo Table in St George's Hall. 

King Charles and Mr Trump walked side by side to enter the hall, followed by Queen Camilla and Melania Trump. Each table setting was adorned with golden utensils and hand-picked flowers from the grounds of Windsor Castle. Traditional British beefeaters and a band of pipers lined the halls of the castle in preparation for the event. 

About 100 staff members were on hand to serve 160 guests, including technology CEOs Tim Cook of Apple, Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind and Sam Altman of OpenAI. Pascal Soriot, who heads drug-maker Astrazeneca, the most valuable company on the London Stock Exchange, was also in attendance. 

Donald Trump and King Charles III were seated side by side throughout the banquet dinner. The king sat next to Mr Trump at the centre of the table, under a ceiling adorned with the coat of arms of every Knight of the Garter since the order was founded in 1348. 

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, was seated to the president’s right, while on the other side of the table, Queen Camilla sat next to Ms Trump and US Treasury chief Scott Bessent. Princess Anne, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was among other royal family representatives in St George's Hall. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and the first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was also on the royal guest list. 

Each table place at the banquet was afforded several glasses of specialty wine, including a Wiston Estate Cuvee 2016, Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2000, Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve 1998, and Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne grand cru 2018.  

A special cocktail, the Transatlantic Whisky Sour, was also created for the banquet. It was designed as a twist on a whisky sour, made with Johnnie Walker Black, topped with a pecan foam and a toasted marshmallow and set on a star-shaped biscuit. 

The banquet dinner featured three courses, including a first course of Hampshire watercress panna cotta and a lengthy list of specialty wines. The after-dinner menu included Warre’s 1945 vintage port, a nod to Mr Trump as the 45th president of the United States, Hennessy 1912 Cognac Grande Champagne, from the year Mr Trump’s mother was born and Bowmore Queen’s Cask 1989, Islay, bottled for Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.  

The opulent banquet menu included a first course of Hampshire watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad. The second course was Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettis, with a thyme and savoury infused jus, and dessert was a vanilla ice cream bombe with a Kentish raspberry sorbet interior and lightly poached Victoria plums. 

I have read that the cost of Trumps  banquet cost UK taxpayers over £1million for one evening only, in  what was a clear show of excess and vulgarity for these millionaire/billionaires to have a jolly good time. For me, during a  rising cost of  living crisis it is disgusting to see the elite enjoying every second of their lives while millions of people do not know what they will have on their plates the next day and  people are  literally starving to  death in Gaza, 

All that glitters is corrupt. The vanity of the few matters more than the people. The true costs of such trips are rarely published but it’s estimated that Air Force One costs up to $200,000 (€170,000) an hour to fly. That’s before you add in the whole entourage, often hundreds strong, that comes along for the ride.

Many countries have been asking whether they can justify the extravagance of such state occasions while telling their citizens that there’s little money to spare for public services. Trump’s welcome in the UK has been so over the top that  even Piers Morgan said he has never seen anything like it in his entire career covering the Royal Family. I simply can’t believe what I’ve seen in the UK over these past couple of days, pandering to this vile man-child’s ego? 

Trump was greeted with flypasts and military parades. But what’s the publicity value of a state visit if you have to be kept away from the disgruntled citizens of the country that is supposed to welcome you?

Then have a banquet, while the rest of the UK is broken, and austerity measures are being implemented! 14 million people, including 3.8 million children, went hungry last year with malnutrition in UK children at Victorian levels. One in six households missed meals, and  there are 2883 food banks in the UK. Food banks are now the ‘new normal’. All because of the decisions of many of those who sat around this table.

Your energy bills went up recently again. Your food bills are continuing to rise steeply. Your council tax went up but the services go down.  Yet in the last few days we’ve seen golden carriages travel through London and obscene inherited wealth like this monstrosity, King Charles and Trump  are cut from the same cloth. Elites protecting elites while ordinary people pay the price. Perfect match, really.

There's so much wealth in the UK we shouldn't need food banks. Unfortunately, all that wealth is in the hands of the top 1-5% wealthiest! The majority of them couldn't care less if children and the elderly can't afford to buy food. 

The trust in government and royalty is at very low levels now too! Charles is the corrupt billionaire-in-chief. He also avoids taxes wherever he can, it's more than time he paid his fair share. These parasites get to live lavish lives while millions of kids barely get to eat a proper meal. What the hell is wrong with society? Why are there so many children  going  without while these parasites walk around in tiaras worth millions? 

While world leaders feast in opulence at Windsor Castle, families in Syria, Palestine scrape by amid endless rubble and despair. This isn't just inequality! it's a slap in the face to humanity. When will the elite's extravagance spark real change? 

There is no greater signal that we must abolish the monarchy than the monarchy celebrating the presence of a narcissistic ogre like Donald Trump as there is literally no Western politician alive that I can think of that has incited more hate, bigotry, and violence than him. 

Animal Farm (1954). George Orwell. 

Stand up to far-right hate

This weekend, London witnessed something profoundly troubling  and  chilling . More than 100,000 people were drawn into the streets  of London for a rally  in the name of racist thug and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson. that claimed to celebrate 'free speech', but which also contained chants of hate, racist conspiracy theories, and Christian nationalist slogans. 

Robinson’s ‘pro-England’ rally quickly became one of the largest far-right rallies in our modern history. The rally was not just noisy and chaotic. It was violent. Police officers were kicked and punched. Bottles and flares were hurled through the crowds. More than two dozen officers were injured, four of them seriously. Arrests were made for affray, violent disorder, and assault.    

Maybe even more disturbing were the messages written on placards and shouted from the stage. Signs singled out minorities. Chants claimed ownership of our streets. Speeches invoked dangerous conspiracy theories about a so-called 'great replacement'. 

Elon Musk even dialled in by video to warn of the 'erosion of Britain', while the French politician Éric Zemmour told the crowd that Britain was being 'colonised by former colonies'. These are words deliberately chosen to divide, to inflame, to pit neighbour against neighbour.    

All of this sits in a wider context. The Reform UK conference the previous weekend sought to normalise hardline rhetoric on immigration and identity. Whilst  at  same time  coming  in  the  wake  of  Charlie Kirk's  murder,

And now, Donald Trump arrives in the UK for a state visit, bringing a style of politics that has consistently emboldened far-right movements on both sides of the Atlantic. And we have seen prime minister Keir Starmer echoing the language of Enoch Powell. This week, he declared Britain will “never surrender the flag” to far-right protesters. But this is exactly what has already happened. The St George’s flag is theirs. The sight of it – fluttering from a residential window, hanging from motorway bridges, sloppily painted on roundabouts, thundering down Whitehall tied round the necks of fighting-age white men – does what they intended: intimidates. 

The anti-racism charity ‘HOPE not hate’ revealed that the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ campaign to place these flags across the country was organized by known far-right extremists. The founder of the campaign was Andy Saxon, a member of Britain First and the English Defence League — both fascist and racist groups. He is an ally of the notorious Islamophobe and criminal Tommy Robinson.   

Britain First leader Paul Golding says the group has donated 75% of its flag stock for the operation. His X timeline is full of racist, Islamophobic and anti-immigrant posts. 

At  the  same   time the Prime Minister raised his own white flag a long time ago. With Starmer at the helm, the mainstream political class has seamlessly, unthinkingly adopted the far-right’s language of fear and othering. From the punitive Immigration White Paper, to Starmer’s “island of strangers” speech – the Labour leader’s first year in power has demonstrated a clear scramble to catch‑up to hard‑right populism. 

By directly pandering to   Nigel Farage’s toxic rhetoric on immigration, Starmer has both elevated his views and legitimised them. What we saw at the weekend is the direct result of this. The racists in this country have been emboldened and sanctioned by our government’s own rhetoric – and to now talk vaguely in terms of resistance is far too little, much too late. 

The turnout at the weekend was frightening. Last summer, while rumours swirled about far-right rallies popping up in different pockets of the capital, counter-protesters outnumbered them – to an embarrassing degree – at every turn. This time was different. Unite the Kingdom was the largest nationalist protest in decades, the counter-protesters were swamped.  We can no longer rely on those willing to put their safety on the line and stand up to racism. And we should never have had to. 

While anti-fascist activism will always be a crucial element in the battle for the soul of our country, we also need our leaders to stand up, to act, to legislate against the hatred that is starting to take hold of the national psyche.  

In the immediate-term, Keir Starmer and the Labour government must offer a compelling, progressive alternative to Reform UK, rather than parroting the language of the right. That means building a humane migration system rooted in dignity and fairness. In the longer-term, it means investing in jobs, housing and public services with a view to dismantling the desperate conditions in which extremism thrives. Above all, it means choosing courage. Fascism feeds on silence, and on political leaders too scared to tell the truth.  

Hate is not just spreading, it is erupting into violence. Last week, a Sikh woman was reportedly raped in broad daylight in the West Midlands. Her attackers allegedly told her she didn’t belong in this country. For anyone who marched under Tommy Robinson’s banner at the weekend and still believes this is just about ‘free speech’ – it’s time to wake up and connect the dots.  These moments connect. They shape the stories people hear about who belongs, who to blame, and what kind of country we want to be.

For many of us, the images from this rally bring not just anger but despair. It can feel as though hatred is drowning out compassion, that the loudest voices in our society are those calling for exclusion and division. It is natural to feel powerless when faced with such relentless negativity. But despair is exactly what those voices want us to feel. If they can make us silent, then they have already won.

The Unite The Kingdom march was not about free speech. It was about hate. Until we call it by its proper name – fascism, white nationalism, xenophobia – we will never begin to confront it effectively.

The rally in London was a show of force from those who wish to undo progress, to divide communities, and to undermine the freedoms we cherish. The rise of racism and the emboldening of fascists is something that should trouble us all. The answer cannot be silence. The answer must be solidarity.  

If the scenes of this weekend left you worried, angry, or lost, know that you are not alone. Thousands of others feel the same way, and together we can channel those feelings into something constructive, hopeful, and powerful.

Silence is not an option. The far right, associated with fascist and populist tendencies, is on the rise. They are a danger to freedom, democracy, and European values.  Extremists on the right often point the finger at people who are different to them, like migrants and other vulnerable communities.  

They stoke division, promote hate speech, and spread fear and antagonism to spark culture wars. Standing up to the far right is crucial if we want to keep our values intact and protect everyone's rights, including the most vulnerable in society. 

Please take five minutes to watch the  following  interview, then share it— post the video, and start a conversation. Listening to people’s concerns while firmly rejecting scapegoating is how we turn the tide.  Together, we can show that the politics of fear will never defeat the politics of compassion. We  must  continue  to  stand   for  equality, justice and solidarity to send a clear message that we will not allow those  who seek to spread fear, uncertainty and hatred  to take over our streets.

With everything happening so fast, it’s easy to forget that these far-right protests are targeted at asylum seekers and refugees. The best way to protect our communities from the far-right disorder is to show a united front of love and support for all  and you may also  consider also donating to the organisations in the UK providing relief and support to those in need:  

British Red Cross  https://www.redcross.org.uk/– The UK’s largest independent provider of services and support for refugees and people seeking asylum  

Care4Calais https://care4calais.org/ – It offers aid to refugees in the UK, France and Belgium.  

Migrant Voice https://www.migrantvoice.org/– A migrant-led organisation for developing the skills of migrants to speak up for themselves.  

Migrants Organise https://www.migrantsorganise.org/– A platform for refugees and migrants offering advice and support, as well as grassroots organising  

Refugee Action https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/– Helps refugees ‘build safe, happy and productive lives in the UK’  

Refugee Council  https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/ – Helped 15,851 refugees and people seeking asylum last year ,

You can  also  donate to charities created to combat racism and hate, such as Hope Not Hate UK  https://hopenothate.org.uk/  or  Stand Up to Racism UK  who  have  been countering the far right by organising protests, events, and creating materials to oppose racism and division, and promote unity. "Our efforts are focused on bringing communities together and standing strong against intolerance,” their GoFundMe description reads. https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergencyunityfund

And  keep protesting against the far right (if safe)  for today and for future generations. Islamophobia, racism and violence have no place in our society, we must work together to consign them to the history books. 

Remember  most people in this country are kind, compassionate, and want to live in safe, supportive, and connected communities. It’s vital that we don’t give in to fear, go quiet, or shrink ourselves. The best way to protect our communities from the far-right disorder is to show a united front of love and support for all. Together, we can build a country of strong and diverse communities where we all feel safe and a sense of belonging. 

Beyond Ignorance

Some people try to convince us that the sudden need to fly the flag is not about being racist, and yet the evidence up and down the country speaks for itself. Whether online or interpersonally, the abuse has reached fever pitch. To be a patriot is one thing; to be a racist is quite another.  Here's a poetical response. 

Beyond Ignorance  

Stop the boats some people cry

Raising flags of hate and division,

The symbol of the St George Cross

Used as an excuse for ugly racism, 

Hung on lampposts, painted everywhere

In a campaign of weaponised nationalism,

Kindness fades hate grows louder

Shadows of darkness engulfing,

Everything currently growing murkier

Voices feels shallow, words feel thin,

Protest against a bloody genocide

You will be stopped put in prison, 

While bombs keep raining down

Murdering morality, killing children, 

If you want to stop the small boats 

Stop the bombs that drove them,

Ignorance is a tether that is exploited 

Spread by haters without shame, 

Seeking refuge, is a heartfelt cry 

Chasing dreams, fleeing despair, 

Longing for a new life, hope abounds

In the face of adversity and inhumanity, 

No borders should define a peoples fate 

Embrace diversity, let compassion resonate, 

Lets measure our language, speak with care

Use words as foundations, for a future fair,

May refugees be given a warm welcome 

Today, tomorrow and always, cherish them, 

Prejudice is the illness that make us weak

Love is the cure which makes us strong.

Right Wing activist Charlie Kirk assassinated at Utah university

Charlie Kirk an American right-wing political activist, author, and media personality was assassinated by a single shot in an apparent targeted attack during an outdoor event Wednesday at Utah Valley University. Kirk 31 co-founded the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and was a close ally of President Donald Trump and was widely credited for helping galvanise support for the Republican Party and Trump’s Make America Great Again movement among American youth, including through regular engagements with university students.  

The scourge of gun violence in America is out  of control and  must end. The shooting of  Kirk is the latest incident of this chaos. The motivation of the man who shot Kirk isn't clear. What is clear is it was another  example of American gun violence. 

Charlie Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA (TPUSA).The event at UVU had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Charlie Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” 

A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The Associated Press was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus. 

Immediately before the shooting, Charlie Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.  “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” the person asked. Charlie Kirk responded, “Too many.”  

The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”  “Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked. 

Then a single shot rang out. The shooter, who in a state with the death penalty, wore dark clothing and fired from a building roof some distance away to the courtyard where the event took place.

FBI special agent in charge Robert Bohls described the investigation as "in its early stages" and encouraged members of the public to come forward with information.

Following the shooting before Kirk was pronounced dead, President Trump called for prayers for Kirk on Truth Social. Several prominent political figures from both parties echoed the sentiment while condemning the act of political violence, as well as a number of international heads of state. Tributes to Kirk also came from celebrities, influencers, and athletes across the political aisle. 

Trump issued an order for all US flags to be flown at half-mast throughout the United States in his honor until September 14 at 6:00 p.m in an extraordinary display of mourning for someone who had no record of public service, but rather had devoted himself to the most repulsive forms of hate-mongering and racism. Kirk is certainly the first full-blown fascist to receive such an honor.

Charles James Kirk grew up in Chicago and attended a community college there before dropping out to pursue political activism and  rise to prominence as a far  right  activist. He was persuasive, provocative and widely followed, with his social media reach well into the millions. However  he was also a genocide apologist, anti immigrants, anti abortion, anti women’s rights, anti anything human rights, very racist  islamophobic and  homophobic who defended every massacre in Gaza and used every platform available to justify Israel’s starvation campaign. 

Kirk described the LGBTQ+ community as an “agenda” and “groomers”  and labelled trans peoples as “freaks” and he also said being gay was a “lifestyle” and called for violence against trans folks. He also advocated for violence against marginalized people for the advancement of white evangelical Christianity and white supremacy.

Kirk recently launched an Islamophobic and racist attack against Zoran Mamdani, the Muslim candidate who recently won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Kirk sparked outrage by claiming Mamdani’s Muslim identity posed a threat to “the largest financial center in the West,” a remark widely condemned as discriminatory and fear-mongering. In a speech, Kirk provocatively asked whether it is acceptable for New York to have a Muslim mayor “like London,” framing Muslim leadership as a cultural and security threat.  

He also targeted Arab and Muslim communities in Europe, describing cities with Arab-owned shops as “occupied,” echoing anti-immigrant rhetoric that rejects cultural diversity. Mamdani, known for his advocacy of social justice and criticism of Israeli policies, has faced smear campaigns portraying him as dangerous solely for his political stances and faith. Observers said Kirk’s comments fuelled division and undermined core American values of pluralism and democracy.

Charlie  Kirk was also a firm supporter of the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, which grants Americans the right to bear arms. In an interview this year, he said that “it’s worth it” to have “some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment”. At end of  the day he was a victim of his own advocacy against gun control. I don’t condone violence but Karma is such a bitch. Charlie Kirk let's not  forget  also said to a Palestinian  recently  that there’s no such thing as Palestinians. Well now there’s no longer such a thing called Charlie Kirk.

We  are supposed to mourn a dead father and say nice things about him, otherwise you're a terrible person. And while I feel a tinge of sadness that a fellow human being has lost his life in such awful circumstances, and the silencing  of  him with violence in this manner  must be condemned unequivocally. this does not mean I will be shedding tears for someone so filled with hate, racism, misogyny and homophobia. 

Kirk himself saw empathy as a weakness and joked himself about the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and he told his supporters to post the attackers bail. He frequently denied there was starvation in Gaza and excused Israel's genocidal practices. 

He was a forced birther who said he would make his ten-year-old daughter carry a baby to term if she were raped. He was a horrendous racist who argued that black women were too stupid to be taken seriously. He called George Floyd a "scumbag" and said black people were better off in slavery. He dismissed Juneteenth as “anti-American,” sneered at diversity as “anti-White,” and told crowds Martin Luther King Jr. was “awful.”  

Now his followers compare him to MLK. The irony would be laughable if it weren’t so grotesque: the man who tried to dismantle King’s legacy now rebranded as his heir. A man who sowed suspicion and cruelty was elevated as though he stood for justice and love.

At one event, he kept referring to an Asian woman as "chink". He blamed transgender people for gun violence and called for the stoning of gay people. I could go on and on, but needless to say ,Charlie Kirk was a person who stoked division and incited violence.

I do not celebrate his death in anyway, and my compassion for humanity remains. I feel sad for Charlie Kirk's children, who clearly had no say in who their dad was. and who will have to live with the trauma for the rest of their lives. 

Charlie Kirk wasn’t a voice — he was a symbol of hate. So will not not mourn his death and participate in moments of silence for him. Mourning is reserved for those who loved, who healed, who tried to make the world softer. He did the opposite. 

Yes, he went to colleges and called it ‘debate.’ But debate requires openness, a willingness to listen, to be changed by what you hear. That was never his aim. He didn’t come to learn, he came to evangelise, to belittle, to perform. It was never about dialogue. It was about domination. 

I will today save my empathy and tears for the kids in Gaza who are dying everyday and the children who were and are being killed in school shootings. I hold no sympathy for a racist Nazi like Charlie Kirk.  

So what is Charlie Kirks real legacy? A generation taught to sneer at compassion. A movement convinced that cruelty is strength. A politics where every tragedy is just another weapon to swing. And now, in his absence, his followers call for dictatorship, brand the left ‘evil,’ fantasise about civil war, and openly call for the eradication of their political opponents. That sums up what he truly built. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Charlie Kirk’s life - and death - can remind us of the alternative: that love and empathy are not weaknesses but the only path that builds anything worth keeping. That we can live alongside people we disagree with without forcing them into our image. That dignity, kindness, and freedom mean respecting others’ choices, not policing them.

If there is any lesson here, it is that cruelty dies with the man who carried it, but love endures. That is the only legacy worth fighting for. 

. World Suicide Prevention Day.

 

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Every year, more than 720,000 people die by suicide, leaving families, friends, healthcare teams, and many people deeply affected.  Created by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in partnership with the WHO, this day brings together individuals, organisations, and institutions to take action on suicide prevention.  

The current theme for 2024–2026, Changing the Narrative on Suicide, calls for a shift from silence and stigma to openness, empathy, and support. It encourages us to engage in open and honest discussions about suicide and suicidal behaviours.  

As someone who has been suicidal  in  past , lost friends to suicide, I hold World Suicide Prevention Day close to my heart. The work is year round, but today matters.  Suicides in England and Wales have reached their highest annual rate since 1999.

Today, on World Suicide Prevention Day, let’s break the silence.  The focus of this World Suicide Prevention Day is to change the narrative around suicide. Even small actions can help someone who is struggling. A simple conversation, a heartfelt check-in, or a moment of vulnerability could be the lifeline someone desperately needs.  

Together, we can make a difference and save lives. Let's make a change today to begin building a more empathetic society.  To everyone of you who carries the daily burden of a difficult life, to everyone of you whose heart aches under the weight of their struggles, and to everyone of you who question your reason to be here: Please know that you are not alone. Don't give up. Your life matters. I

t's important  to  say  that suicide is not selfish. and those that consider not attention seeking. Suicide is, normally, death caused by the illness of depression. It is a final symptom. A final collapse under unbearable weight. Suicide is a tragedy, and if some people have never been close to the edge. it's also    important that they do not judge what they can’t understand. People need to be kind. 

We also need to move away from considering suicide as a purely mental health issue, and acknowledge the impact of social factors, such as poverty, debt, addictions, homelessness, abuse, discrimination and social isolation. 

Changing the narrative on suicide requires complete systemic change. It's about shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support  and  raising  awareness. Talking about suicide does not cause it — but silence can. Let’s encourage honest, compassionate conversations.  Most important of all if someone is suicidal, PLEASE take them seriously, don't judge and if they don't go through with it, be with them after help them resume their life.. 

Whether you've lost a loved one or experienced your own personal struggles, I'm  sending love today to everyone who has been touched by suicide.

Powerful new Banksy mural on the Royal Courts of Justice building

 

Legendary  Bristol street artist Banksy has unveiled a  powerful new work on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice in London.  

It's perhaps one of the elusive street artist's most audacious works of street art yet - painting a mural depicting a  figure holding a blank placard being beaten by a judge wielding a gavel, with blood splattering the placard, on a wall at the very heart of the British judicial system. Possibly his greatest piece to date too,

It arrived directly after the Metropolitan Police arrested over 850 people for breaking terror laws on 6 September at a protest against the proscription of non-violent direct action Palestine Action. 

Approximately 1,500 people took part in the demonstration, organised by Defend Our Juries (DOJ), in London’s Parliament Square - making it one of the biggest acts of mass civil disobedience in British history. Those arrested included former and current NHS staff, an 83-year-old priest and a disabled RAF veteran. 

A DOJ spokesperson said: “Banksy's work of art on the walls of the Royal Courts of Justice powerfully depicts the brutality unleashed by Yvette Cooper on protestors by proscribing Palestine Action.  

When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent – it strengthens it. As Banksy's artwork shows, the state can try to strip away our civil liberties, but we are too many in number and our resolve to stand against injustice cannot be beaten – our movement against the ban is unstoppable and growing every day. 

We hope everyone who is moved by Banksy’s inspiring work of art will join our next action, which will be announced soon.”  

New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is facing growing pressure to scrap the “impossible to enforce” Palestine Action ban. Since the controversial proscription came into force in July, more than 1,600 people have been arrested under terror legislation and over 70 have been charged.

A mannequin was arrested at yesterday’s Lift The Ban action for silently holding a placard with the words “I oppose genocide - I support Palestine Action” written on it.  If you don’t laugh at the absurdity, you’ll cry.

The UK government proscribed PA to demonise the entire pro Palestinian movement. When the Government is arresting people under terrorism laws for sitting peacefully in protest, something is going very wrong and is  clearly undemocratic. 

Arresting peaceful protesters condemning the genocide in Gaza exposes the UK’s complicity in silencing dissent. Standing for Palestinian lives is not terrorism, it’s a moral duty. 

Meanwhile Isaac Herzog  named in the ICJ judgment as showing genocidal intent – will  be welcomed to Britain by Keir Starmer this week  and  given  the red  carpet  treatment  while  the state arrests pensioners for holding signs saying, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action” If this keeps up, soon we will all be "terrorists".

A reminder that the law is not always just or right. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right. People are understandably outraged by the ongoing genocide being committed in Gaza and are entitled under international human rights law to express their horror.  Amnesty  International  has long criticised UK terrorism law for being excessively broad, vaguely worded and a threat to freedom of expression. 

Yesterdays  response only further demonstrates that their concerns were justified. Any restriction on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be lawful, necessary and proportionate to achieving a legitimate aim. 

Criminalising speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence or advocates hatred. Expressing support for Palestine Action does not, in itself, meet this threshold.

Pictures on social media appear to show the artwork has already been covered up by large sheets of plastic and two metal barriers,  while  being guarded by security officials outside the building.

Which  is on the rear of an office building that forms part of the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand in London, and is located around the back on Carey Street, with the Gothic Victorian court room complex right next door. The work, ironically enough, appeared right underneath a CCTV camera monitoring the rear gate entrance to the Royal Courts of Justice.

While the British government attempts to silence voices by banning Palestine Action, the real issue remains.. their complicity in the killing of innocent men, women, and children. If the price of western ‘civilisation’ is support or indifference to Genocide in Gaza by Israel then it’s not worth saving. I oppose Genocide - I support Palestine. Action. Free Palestine.