To think any "pro-Palestinian" marches today should be stopped?

[Beachtastic]

Today is the second anniversary of the 7 October attacks.

Apparently "Students from London colleges are planning a joint march in the capital, while Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Sheffield are among other cities said to be expecting protests."

In my view, the timing of these marches proves beyond doubt that they are antisemitic in nature, and there is no place for them on our streets.

Do you agree, and if so, what would you like to see happen?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wgx5v90vyo

@Beachtastic I am deeply offended by your suggestion that what’s happening in Gaza is not genocide.

I am allowed to be deeply offended by your statements. It’s pretty disgusting to me actually.

However that doesn’t mean I want your right to your abhorrent opinions taken away from you. I’ll fight to the death for your right to your opinions.

The protest is anti Israel and their genocide of the Palestine people not anti Jewish.

Again, your replies indicate you do actually think some genocide is more important than other genocide.

This doesn't sit right with me. 4% of an entire population is a enormous amount of people to kill and not something that should be minimised. This doesn't even take into consideration the vast number of people who have been injured. The Albanian genocide was i think 8'000 people killed. Does that mean it's not a genocide?

Which textbook?

Of course the two sides will have differing opinions and as the Americans have been so staunchly on the side of Israel, much of the accepted view is basically theirs, but what is the actual difference, apart from. The fact that Israel has killed many more people and their is a srate action rather than a terrorist group?

I think the pro-Palestinian protesters today are damaging their own cause by playing directly into the hands of those who say that they are motivated by antisemitism.

It also raises some questions in my mind about who is pulling the strings, given that the first London rallies were organised on 7 October 2023 as the attacks in Israel were still unfolding.

I understand that many people who participate have benign motives, but today's "protests" underline for me that we should be wary of whose agenda we are serving.

Considering you believe the Hamas attack was a genocide that killed far fewer people in both numbers and percentage of the population. Yet you assert that is a real genocide and the thousands of Palestinians killed indiscriminately is not.

Having seen the posts on Facebook and Reddit gleefully celebrating the anniversary today I've lost hope for all humanity. Imagine glorifying the terror and celebrating death and parroting they're on the right side of history they can go fuck. There's no fucking right side it's not a primary school tournament.

I'm not downplaying the number of people killed in this horrible war. I am just suggesting that if Israel's intention was genocidal, things would be looking very different after 2 years of conflict.

What????

I disagree with you. 80% of buildings in Gaza have either been destroyed or damaged. Thousands and thousands killed and even more injured. The Israeli government have time and time again expressed genocidal intent. Experts in genocide have called it a genocide, i even saw a recent study which said 40% of American Jews considered it a genocide which i found quite surprising as i know Americans in general are more pro-Israel than Brits.

So Israel should get away with displacing 1000's of people into dessert camps while reducing their homes to rubble.

Most of these poor people are not Hamas or have any dealings with them - that was probably until they had to flee their homes.

There's a vicious cycle going on.

How? Surely at some point the international community would step in? How much more than 4% of a population do you think they can push that to before e.g. the Americans are forced to take action?

Nonsense. A right to peacefully protest is a right to peacefully protest, not merely a right to peacefully protest on a day when those who disagree with the premise of the protest say they should.

They have displaced almost thr entire population - many multiple times and have killed and injured atleast 10% of the population. I'm really shocked the OP would downplay this on a thread where she is appealing people to be thoughtful and considerate.

We must have very different algorithms as I haven't seen anything of the sort.

I don't know whether they should be stopped but I fail to see what point the marches actual serve other than making the marchers feel like they are Doing Something. And even if your intent is peaceful there is always an element who want to cause trouble or harass people for being Jewish around the marches.

The only protect I would join is anti male-violence and pro-peace/anti-separatist politics.

Quite possibly. Definitely in several Jewish groups and a Yiddish speaker group. Possible trolls? Either way vile.

I've spent the weekend in Germany with friends. (British friends). I think the fact that we were in Germany is relevant because of the way it fueled the discussion.

We're quite a hot headed bunch and love a good political debate, with many varied views represented.

Everyone, even the one with a Jewish mother, was absolutely outraged at the behaviour of Israel. No one was critical of the Jewish race. Why do people take every criticism of Israel as antisemitism?

because it’s an excuse to try to shut it down.

Why do people take every criticism of Israel as antisemitism?

What do you think of the timing of today's rallies? Coincidence?

Exactly.

Of course not, and I wouldn't dream of joining them. However, they're a protest against the actions Israel is taking against civilians in Gaza, and against the (lack of) response from international governments. They're not against the Jewish people.

That's what they say, but why today?

I don’t think they should be stopped. We live in a free society. But I do think people should choose not to march today. March tomorrow, and I’d be with you but I think to march today would only exacerbate division.

Because it's a significant date and will get lots of coverage, which is the whole point of a protest.