Glasgow Hilton Protest
March 9, 2008
Watch video | Large police presence | Flag waving
I left the house today and was bathed in the brightest sunshine! This changed to rain, ice rain and then back to plain old rain again. I’ve come to expect this from the weather in Glasgow and I’ve also come to expect a strong boisterous presence from Glaswegians at protests. At the Hilton today I wasn’t disappointed – there was a large crowd of about 100 equipped with megaphones, drums, whistles, good humour and passion!
As the JNF supporters arrived for their criminal fundraiser they were confronted with a wall of sound as Glasgow, stoked with pain from the Gaza seige, made its feelings know. “Blood on your hands, blood on your hands!” cowed them as they sheepishly entered the Hilton.
I’m sure everyone at the fund-raiser got the message – the JNF and the Israeli ambassador are not welcome in Scotland. Although I think the ambassador, Ron Prosor, already got that message which is why he cancelled his talk at Edinburgh University last Thursday.
Mick Napier, chair of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, gave a speech which struck a chord with myself. He drew the crowds attention to the police helicopter hovering menacingly above us and said that while its annoying for us – in Gaza these machines are designed to murder and couldn’t operate without parts supplied by the UK.
He then mentioned a Golf match to take place sometime in May/June to further fund-raise for the JNF. Saying that while the JNF supporters can hide behind walls of police and concrete in the Hilton their fun can easily be disrupted on a golf course!
For more information on this check the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign Website.
Helicopter? Oh what??? Are you freakin’ kidding me?
I can’t get over the amount of cop cars.
Anyway, nice job guys. Heh.. those Scottish accents are sooo cool!
No sign of Goldie?
There were more police vans than that hidden round the corner. Guess they were intimidated by my manly presence and called in all the troops and a copter!
You can never be too safe!
I didn’t see Goldie or Prosor. Either I missed then, they went in round the back or I left too early. Or perhaps they were staying in the hotel and didn’t have to enter?
Anyway I’d be surprised if it didn’t have a big impact on the event.
Nice one Dave, thanks for reporting and posting this. Wish I could have been there… and not even surprised anymore with the heavy police presence… after all they’re being trained by Israel’s finest now…….
since we don’t get any real news here in the states – thanks for sharing what’s really going on in the world!