Slideshow: Protestors gather to demonstrate against Gaza conflict

A protest against Israel’s offensive into Gaza was held in front of Dewsbury Town Hall on Saturday (26).

Organisers said more around 1000 people assembled in the town centre for a peaceful demonstration against the conflict.

More than 1000 people, mostly Palestinian civilians, have died. Nearly a quarter are children.

Friends of Al-Aqsa Dewsbuury and Batley branch organised the static demonstration, which featured speakers including Nick Ruff from the Stop the War Coalition; Jane Gregory from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign; Mike Wood, MP for Batley and Spen; Coun Darren O’Donovan (Lab, Dews West); Mohammed Shafiq from the Ramadan Foundation, Rochdale and Iqbal Bhana OBE.

Friends of Al-Aqsa said the demonstration was a “protest against both Israel’s massacres in Gaza and the Cameron government’s support for Israel’s war crimes”.

Bradford activist Shamsuddin Ahmed, from Friends of Al-Aqsa, said “How can you not be moved? Palestine will be free one day...it will be free one day, so long as we carry on what we are doing today – that is not to forget the people of Palestine”

A roll call of the deceased children was done by school children and a one minute silence was observed.