Gaza war: 'I'm marching for peace this Saturday'

A Londoner who is attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday says she wants to support peace.

Celia Webster, from Muswell Hill in north London, is a Christian and said going is important to her beliefs.

It comes amid a political row over the home secretary's claims the Metropolitan Police applies a "double standard" to its policing of protests.

The prime minister has urged organisers to call the event off because it coincides with Armistice Day.

Ms Webster, the daughter of a World War Two veteran who helped liberate Belsen concentration camp, said: "I'm going to go this Saturday, first to the Armistice Day service, and then I'll be going on a peace march."

She says she sees both events as "really fundamentally linked", adding: "Remembrance Sunday is all about armistice which means truce - and that's what the marches are asking for; a ceasefire and a permanent two-state peaceful solution.

"We have a duty to seek peace always, and people died for us in the wars. They gave up their lives, so we have to do what we can and stand up for injustice when we see it."

Asked about her reaction to those who feel similarly to the prime minister, who believes Saturday's march is "provocative and disrespectful", Ms Webster said: "I don't feel that the present government or really the opposition are speaking out enough to try and get people to listen to one another.

"I think it's really important to our society that nobody feels like they're being silenced," Ms Webster added.

"Try and think about why people died in wars, it's so that we would have a peaceful society so that people could have a voice.

"To try and stop people from peaceful protest when so many people are being killed or not being fed or having water - I don't understand it at all."

She said she had not seen any extremist views displayed at previous demonstrations she had attended, and had been "amazed at what a peaceful atmosphere it is and how everybody is looking out for each other, because there are a lot of families with little children".

"I've met some wonderful people from various Jewish organisations and there are people there of all different faiths and none, so it's been a really really good atmosphere."

She also offered advice for people who are engaging with or talking about the conflict this weekend, saying: "Pause and try and listen to one another rather than just fire off, because we all tend to do that and think we have to do this splitting of thinking, 'this is right, this is wrong'."

Pro-Palestinian protests have been held in London each Saturday since the Israel-Gaza war began, and the 11 November protest is expected to call for a ceasefire on the Gaza Strip.

London imam and broadcaster Ajmal Masroor said "these are definitely peace marches" because they are "calling for an end to hostility" and "the killing of innocent people".

He asked why demonstrating on Armistice Day was "a problem", because football matches take place and shops remain open.

"Those who laid down their lives, they laid down their lives for freedom and democracy and the end of war, they would be on our side," he said.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Natan Levy said he supported the right to protest and did not think Saturday's march should be stopped, but the timing of Armistice Day "pains" him because "it is a day when we should be seeking peace and dialogue between people".

"I don't see these protests as finding those good solid places for Jews and Muslims and people from different opinions to come together," he explained.

"The kinds of things you can say in a slogan, on a sign, aren't the kinds of things you can say in a deep and meaningful dialogue."

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