What's going on in Gaza is horrific, says a Jewish fatgher; Protesters urge BBC to end silence on Gaza
Lonodon: Tens of thousands of people from across Britain gathered outside the BBC's headquarters in London Saturday to protest against Israel's onslaught on Gaza and the corporation's 'biased' coverage of the war hit region.
The rally, organized by an umbrella group of organizations including Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al Aqsa and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, continued with a march past the US Embassy in the British capital, where protesters shouted "Shame on you, U.S. and Obama!", according to news agency Anadolu Agency.
The protesters also carried placards reading 'BBC! Tell the truth of Gaza' and 'Palestine Exists, Palestine Resists, BBC End your silence'.
One demonstrator, British citizen Colin Bex, told Anadolu Agency that he believed the BBC had "not been broadcasting the truth for a while now" and "was doing the same thing over Gaza".
He said: "I am ashamed to be British, since former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former U.S. President George W Bush gave support to the illegal invasion of Iraq."
He said that what was taking place in the Middle East were war crimes, and that these were supported by the UK and the US.
Another protestor, Philip McCowall, who had come from Bristol to attend the rally, told AA that appalling crimes were being committed in Gaza and that people were being slaughtered.
"The BBC has been broadcasting pro-Zionist reportage for years. There are so many Zionists working in there," he said.
Police estimated that about 20,000 people took part in the march, which started at Oxford Circus and passed by the US embassy in Grosvenor Square to end in Hyde Park.
The Stop the War coalition, which organised the protest, said it was expecting up to 100,000 people.
Rime Hadri, 34, a public health worker and volunteer for Stop the War coalition, said she decided to participate in the march because the government had "taken sides in the conflict".
"This has been ongoing for 60 years. I can see the injustice and inequality in this conflict," The Giardian quoted her saying.
Lou Everett, a probation officer, said: "The US are sending arms to Israel; the UK's standing by, saying to Israel and Palestine 'you guys need to sort it out', whereas they need to be part of the solution."
Members of London’s Jewish community attended the march, but some said they felt intimidated being there or knew people who had not attended through fear.
Dan Rosenberg, 43, a Jewish father of two, said he was appalled by images of dead bodies he had seen in Gaza.
“It is horrific what is going on in Gaza", The Times UK quoted him as saying.
Israel renewed strikes on Gaza on Saturday, with fighter jets carrying out 30 air raids, killing five Palestinians, after militants fired six rockets into the Jewish state. Mosques, homes and other civilian places were also hit in the fresh Israeli attacks.
The most recent ceasefire ended on Friday morning, but combat has not resumed with the same intensity, fuelling hopes for a new truce.
More than 1900 Palestinians, mostly civilians including a large number of women and children, have died in the Israeli attacks which began on July 08.
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