Tearing down the US Embassy fence last Saturday
fence-shaker | 25.07.2006 17:49 | Lebanon War 2006 | Anti-militarism | Social Struggles | London | World
On Saturday the fence around the US Embassy was brought crashing down. Demonstrators from the Lebanon & Palestine solidarity demonstration, angry at the US support for Israel's attacks, shook the metal barriers until they came down.
taking down the fence
radioing in for a new fence
toppled fence in background
As Saturday's "Hands off Lebanon - Freedom for Palestine" London demonstration passed the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, the crowd slowed to a halt to shout and point. There was no doubt in the demonstrators mind of the US government's complicity in Israel's attacks.
At the sound of a foghorn, twenty protestors jumped over the concrete barricade and rushed the metal barriers. The first fence only lasted 5 seconds before crashing to the ground. Several additional passing demonstrators joined in, adding their hands to those already shaking the second barrier. An interconnected matrix of metal gates, this second fence lasted only a little longer - within 30 seconds it was disassembled and a path through was opened up. The Embassy's security was breached, but a final fence remained. With limited numbers, the group merged back into the demonstration and disappeared without arrests.
Although the act of defiance was short, it sent a strong message that people will not sit still (or march from A to B and applaud the same speakers) while hundreds are being massacred in Lebanon and Palestine. Saturday's US Embassy action follows from last Tuesday's Parliament Square vigil, when 500 people took and occupied the road outside Parliament, blocking MPs from leaving through the front exit.
Tuesday and Saturday's actions show that many people are not willing to remain within the boundaries of political action prescribed by the elite. Spraypaint has mysteriously appeared around London, with new slogans added every night denouncing Israel's war on Lebanon and Palestine.
As the Israeli bombing raids continue, we need to up the ante of protests and solidarity actions here in England. There's a lot of anger out there and many individuals who want to take action - it's time to get together and do it.
At the sound of a foghorn, twenty protestors jumped over the concrete barricade and rushed the metal barriers. The first fence only lasted 5 seconds before crashing to the ground. Several additional passing demonstrators joined in, adding their hands to those already shaking the second barrier. An interconnected matrix of metal gates, this second fence lasted only a little longer - within 30 seconds it was disassembled and a path through was opened up. The Embassy's security was breached, but a final fence remained. With limited numbers, the group merged back into the demonstration and disappeared without arrests.
Although the act of defiance was short, it sent a strong message that people will not sit still (or march from A to B and applaud the same speakers) while hundreds are being massacred in Lebanon and Palestine. Saturday's US Embassy action follows from last Tuesday's Parliament Square vigil, when 500 people took and occupied the road outside Parliament, blocking MPs from leaving through the front exit.
Tuesday and Saturday's actions show that many people are not willing to remain within the boundaries of political action prescribed by the elite. Spraypaint has mysteriously appeared around London, with new slogans added every night denouncing Israel's war on Lebanon and Palestine.
As the Israeli bombing raids continue, we need to up the ante of protests and solidarity actions here in England. There's a lot of anger out there and many individuals who want to take action - it's time to get together and do it.
fence-shaker
