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The Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s (PSC) writes on its website that “together we can take on the might of governments” by “defend[ing] our rights to protest for Palestine”. I’m afraid to say that at last Saturday’s national demonstration for Palestine they did precisely the opposite.
As our 700-strong communist bloc formed around a police cordon to demand the release of our arrested comrades, the PSC bravely stepped in to stand firm against… the communists.
Placing themselves between us and the police, they faced away from the cops and acted as another line of defence against us, telling us to “calm down” whilst our comrades were being dragged away.
While initially the rank-and-file protestors behind us were keen to stop and help us de-arrest our comrades, the PSC stewards quickly began encouraging people to divert themselves around us and continue marching down the planned route – as if to say, ‘nothing to see here, now move along!’
One PSC volunteer was overheard saying that our intervention against the arrests “threatened future marches”. As if the most important thing was securing permission for yet another year of aimless A-to-B marches!
RCP members peacefully protesting for Palestine were beaten by out of control police looking for a fight today. This video is one of dozens I have now. Journalists and lawyers already in touch. Anyone else who wants the evidence let me know https://t.co/yq9MPScmcB
— Ben Gliniecki (@BenGliniecki) October 10, 2026
As we took on the police and defended our democratic right to protest, the PSC effectively acted alongside the police to defend their right to oppress us. Where was the ‘solidarity’ here?
At a time in which the Palestine movement desperately needs militancy in taking on the British ruling class and its repression against the movement, the PSC acted to demobilise the class fighters who were trying to do what the PSC would not. And when the police began to throw punches and push us back, the PSC scarpered and abandoned us.
We should point out that this wasn’t the fault of the individual volunteers. They were likely just following their protocol.
Instead, what this debacle reveals is the complete lack of perspective and militancy from the movement’s leadership.
The pacifists at the top have totally resigned themselves to an endless routine of marches and speeches, which they will cling onto for dear life. They have no perspective whatsoever of upping the ante, by mobilising the power of this movement to seriously challenge the ruling class, like we saw with the Italian general strike last year.
Imagine what the headlines would be if the PSC joined us by coordinating a mass de-arrest of our comrades; how this would demonstrate the real power a mass movement can wield. Picture how much this would revive the confidence and raise the sights of the millions of workers and youth who have marched for Palestine over these last three years.
But, as the brave young people in France and Spain take on the might of their governments and of capitalism itself, the leadership of the Palestine movement in Britain missed another golden opportunity to raise the stakes and take the state head on.
Such heel-dragging can’t go on forever. The youth won’t wait for their permission to take things into their own hands.
How can one protest a genocide while protecting the police?
Caylem Barmby, Lincoln
Approaching the memorial, not knowing what had happened, a person in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign hi-vis was attempting to have people move away and get them back to the road.
Recalling this reminds me of how confused I was at the time. How can one go to protest the genocide in Palestine, but attempt to protect the actions of a state that is backing that same atrocity?
As the energy of protest built up, we reminded the met police of what they are: scum. They serve an imperialist, Zionist Labour government, and not the working people. Anyone trying to tell you different is ignorant or lying. Nothing had made this clearer to me than the eleven arrests made that day – one I had witnessed myself.
Several arrests made as thousands descend on London for pro-Palestine protest. Shot for @PA https://t.co/0cuIGl5rWw
— Jamie Lashmar (@jamie_lashmar) October 10, 2026
As comrades hastily made their way down from the wall, I helped reaching up to one coming down. Despite safely making his way down and thanking me, he was torn away from us by two officers just seconds later.
A stressful, chaotic day, to say the least. But not a discouraging one. Certainly not, as I have never felt more confident in the Revolutionary Communist Party. If I had been arrested they would have done the same for me, demanding the release of those arrested, and calling the police out as the class traitors they are!
Copper feel!
An uncomfortable protestor
After the first couple of arrests, when we’d surrounded the police demanding the release of our comrades, I found myself immediately to the right of the war memorial. We began forming a human chain to keep the police from carrying the arrested comrades off, or bringing more officers in.
Eventually, of course, they tried: they shoved us from behind, and one officer got through before I was able to hold the rest for a moment. There wasn’t much of a plan on the front – just that the police wanted in, and we weren’t going to roll over for them.
As the police tried to shove us away, I ended up with my back to them, and one officer – maybe looking for a spine to replace his own, or for some other unmentionable reason – reached down and shoved his hand up my backside.
I was unpleasantly surprised later by a video which showed him readying two gloved fingers, shoving them between my legs and grinding up against me like an eager bulldog against a chair. Another began kicking my legs, and eventually they managed to lift me up, dump me onto the other comrades in the line, and push them back with me dangling in the middle.
Once I was safely behind our line, I readjusted my undercarriage, necked some cereal bars and water, and got back to it – this time being sure to face forward!
“We are doing this for your safety”
Eric C, Crystal Palace
I attended the demonstration on Saturday and was assaulted by the police for peacefully demanding the release of another comrade.
When I heard about someone being arrested around New Scotland Yard and the reactionary Zionist bloc, I rushed over to assist in de-arresting them – not knowing whether they were our comrades or not, but that doesn’t matter. That is what solidarity means in these situations: an injury to one is an injury to all.
I went over to the side of the war memorial, where I believed it would be easiest for the police to escape, and began linking arms with the comrades to my left and right to not let the police escape.
There was strength in numbers as we completely outnumbered the police. I noticed one nasty piece-of-work police officer, smiling and staring me dead in the eyes as I chanted “Who do you serve? Who do you protect?” and “tout le monde déteste la police!”.
This police officer had a ‘thin blue line’ badge too, which I understand is a symbol for ‘camaraderie’ and ‘solidarity’ within the police, worn by the section of the police that are especially proud of their role as oppressors of the working class, and will close ranks to defend their own.
THE POLICE INITATED THE VIOLENCE. We were shoved extremely violently, grabbed, and punched. I sustained a temporarily dislocated rib as the police attempted to crush us and force us to the ground. Thankfully, us linking arms prevented much of this.
One police officer said they were doing this “for our safety”… whilst violently shoving us into one another – delusion at its finest.
What also makes me sick is the fact that many of these officers looked like they came from immigrant backgrounds like me – and yet they are playing an active role in an oppressive system that people from their own communities suffer under every day.
