On 11 October, a student-led demonstration took place in Bristo Square to demonstrate solidarity with Palestine.
This comes amid the developing situation in Palestine and Israel.
Following a surprise attack on Israeli sites by Hamas, the governing group in Gaza, Israel has formally declared war on Palestine and declared a complete siege on the Gaza strip, cutting off water, electricity and food supplies to 2.2million people.
Hamas’s attack has so far left 1300 people dead in Israel.
Following Hamas’s attack, Israel’s heavy bombardment of the Gaza strip has so far killed 1,500 people.
According to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency, Israel’s ongoing land, air and sea blockade on the Gaza strip since 2007 is a form of “collective punishment”.
The UN Secretary-General has also found that “the blockade and related restrictions contravene international humanitarian law as they target and impose hardship on the civilian population, effectively penalizing them for acts they have not committed.”
The demonstration was held at 1pm in Bristo Square, a part of the University of Edinburgh’s central campus.
An estimated 300 people were present, with attendees including students and members of the local community.
The atmosphere at the demonstration was sombre and emotional, with speeches detailing the need for humanitarian corridors to be opened into Gaza, and the limited medical resources available.
The crowd chanted ‘Free, free, Palestine’ and ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’.
Demonstrations have been held across the UK in recent days.
The demonstration in Edinburgh was organised by the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society (EUJPS) and the University of Edinburgh Middle Eastern and North African Society (MENA).
MENA released a statement before the demonstration which says “as a society we deeply regret and are disheartened by the recent events transpiring in Palestine and we really appreciate and support EUJPS in the demonstrations that are going to be carried out tomorrow.”
A further demonstration is due to be held in Edinburgh on Saturday 14 October, organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC).
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has attempted to crack down on pro-Palestinian protests in recent days.
In a letter to Chief Constables in England and Wales, Braverman said “I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated Section 5 public order offence.”
Humza Yousaf, Scottish First Minister, has spoken in the last few days about his concern for the safety of his in-laws who are currently in Gaza.
In a letter to UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Yousaf has urged the UK to push for the opening of a humanitarian corridor.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for humanitarian access to the Gaza strip due to Israel’s blockade and attacks leaving the health system at breaking point.
He said “As a close friend and ally of Israel, I therefore ask the UK government to call on the government of Israel to ensure innocent civilians are protected and to put in place an immediate ceasefire to allow the safe passage of civilians through the Rafah border.
“Furthermore, it should open a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow supplies, including food, fuel, water and medical supplies, for those civilians who are trapped, helpless and cannot leave.”
Image via Rachel Hartley