Gallery: Hundreds protest in Blackburn over plight of Palestine (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Gallery: Hundreds protest in Blackburn over plight of Palestine
9:37am Monday 26th November 2012 in News
By Jessica Cree, Education reporter
PROTESTS relating to recent events in Gaza passed peacefully yesterday, police said.
Hundreds of demonstrators met at Whalley Range, Blackburn, before making their way to Corporation Park for speeches.
Men, women and children joined in the march, which was organised by the Muslim Defence Council, carrying placards supporting the plight of the Palestinians.
Chants of “free, free Palestine” could be heard.
Road closures had been put in place along the route, which included Victoria Street, Barbara Castle Way, Exchange Street, Sudell Cross and Preston New Road, to ensure safety.
Once in the park, a speech was given by supporter Zaldire Kasim.
He said: “When the question of Palestine is raised, the heart speaks.
“The issue of Palestine is not just a Muslim issue – if you are a human, you feel the pain and the sorrow. Justice will only be done when every child in Palestine can go to school and learn without the fear of being killed and when the land of Palestine is given back to the Palestinians. We can have this march, and there were 10,000 people marching in London on Saturday, but the question is that after the march, what will you do to continue to help the people of Palestine?”
Neighbourhood manager Mansoor Akhtar said: “It was really peaceful and there was a really good atmosphere.
“The protest was well-observed and hopefully it will have raised the profile of the issue.”
A similar protest was also held outside the Town Hall, in Market Street, Nelson, with speakers from different faiths.
Comments are closed on this article.




Comments (60)
10:01am Mon 26 Nov 12
Caspar the ghost says...
I suppose rockets being fired every day at Israel are acceptable to these protesters. Bombs on buses is OK too.
Try looking at it again with an unbiased view, and they will find that this sort of fighting/murder/kill
ing/ has been going on between these two for a couple of thousand years.
Going out on the streets to protest for any side means that you are being used by the bully boys for their own purpose.
Now go and get a life!
10:14am Mon 26 Nov 12
M.DANNY says...
Palestinians are Muslims and Christians
Israel continues to violate human rights by putting a wall up in a illegally occupied country.Israel assasinate Palestinian leaders and bombs a civilian residential areas.Israelis are building more and more illegal settlements into Gaza and West Bank every day.No country in the world has got away with such aggression and flouting human rights records.World leaders visited Palestine were shocked at the appalling crimes against humanity and such a terrible violation of many UN Laws.It is the USA who continues to support Israel in UN table by their Veto .
10:25am Mon 26 Nov 12
Intention & Action says...
10:40am Mon 26 Nov 12
A Darener says...
10:40am Mon 26 Nov 12
burner says...
10:43am Mon 26 Nov 12
Izanears says...
Hamas wants to keep this conflict going because it suits there cause. If they spent the same money on improving the lot of their people that they spend on arms surely that would make more sense.
Don't be fooled into thinking that it is big bully Israel against tiny Gaza. It is little Israel against the entire Arab nation. One of which, IRAN, says it want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Think about folks, how would you feel if you were totally surrounded by your enemies. Would you not take appropriate steps to ensure your safety. of course you would.. .
11:00am Mon 26 Nov 12
M.DANNY says...
11:06am Mon 26 Nov 12
retired one says...
Also I don't see any Muslims protesting about those in their communities that are grooming young girls.
11:57am Mon 26 Nov 12
George Khan says...
Historically jews have been persecuted by Christians
The Poles, the Russians and our King Edward Longshanks
He introduced the ‘Edict of Expulsion’ that was lawful for generations
Till Oliver Cromwell repealed it centuries later
When Christian Europeans were killing jews in their thousands
They were given refuge, by Muslims, the Ottoman Empire
Years later, the Zionists lobbied for a new state of Israel
The Palestinians were betrayed by the Balfour declaration
Which promised a homeland to jews without fail
Then we had the holocaust and mass extermination
European guilt opened the floodgates and mass immigration
And aggression led to Palestinian refugees forcibly purged
The Irgun and Stern gangs were the first Zionist terrorists
Killing Arabs and also killed British forces who served
Yitzhak Shamir, a prominent member, later became Prime Minister
Israel slowly began to acquire more Arab land in 67 and 73 wars
Illegal acquisition –Lebensraum a nazi philosophy, taking land by murder
In subsequent years, there is a continuation of taking land by force
Israel is an apartheid state, treats Arab Israelis as sub-human
And Palestinians as how the Nazis used to treat jews
The BLOCKADE of Gaza for the past 5 years is provocation
Complete strangulation of daily life, no electricity, no water
The reason why Fatah lost control of Gaza was corruption
Living it up whilst the ZIONISTS made the public suffer
Hamas did community work, built schools and hospitals
The Palestinians identified with them and they took power
The Zionist state undertakes a policy of collective punishment
It is smaller than Wales and completely reliant on America
It is like a tapeworm that sucks the Yanks for nourishment
The Zionist lobby in Washington ensure hefty financial and military aid
Whilst Arab countries betray the Palestinians
The Sauds have intrinsic links with the Zionist State
And those fools amongst you who think that Iranians are Arabs
You fools, they are not, and they don’t harbour any anti-Semitic hate
They make distinction between Jews and Zionists
Do you ever hear about the persecution of Jews in Iran?
No, if there was, the way the media works, it would be highlighted
There is a minority Jewish community in the Persian Land
Who have complete human rights and representation
The same cannot be said of Arabs in the Knesset
Israel, the illegal Nazi Apartheid State is an abomination
It’s sole aim is to kill Palestinians, enough said
1:01pm Mon 26 Nov 12
nearly sane says...
1:47pm Mon 26 Nov 12
George Khan says...
Human rights abuses across the Muslim world?
Do you mean those countries which used to have a dictator?
Once backed by the west such as Egypt and Tunisia
Yes, the Muslims being massacred in Burma
Very little media exposure, could it because they don’t give a ****
Let me enlighten your little mind further
This recent bout of violence was brought about by killing of two Palestinians
Hence the rocket influx into the Zionist state by Hamas
A truce was agreed on the 12th November to stop escalations
But on the 14th, Israel killed a senior member of the Hamas ranks
A deliberate act of naked provocation
Because Netanyahu wants to win the election and build settlements en masse
As for your comment on anti-Semitism, don’t fall for the spin
Palestinians too are Semites; their origins differ from other Arabs
That is why they fight, so passionately, even though they have nothing
One more thing, a few years ago Mossad agents forged passports of British citizens
And ventured into Dubai to undertake a Hamas member assassination
There was uproar from the British government
Israel stated, ‘Britain is just making a bit of noise for public consumption’
Can you believe the arrogance of the Zionist establishment?
But they were right, Britain bowed it’s head meekly
It was forgotten and Israel, as always, escaped without punishment
The US and UK are just tools for the Zionist entity
1:59pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Caspar the ghost says...
Never for one minute stopping and taking a deeper and more knowledged look at the current/past situation, and making an objective response.
Take the hate out of your mind!
2:01pm Mon 26 Nov 12
cloud999 says...
2:31pm Mon 26 Nov 12
nearly sane says...
Also - Would you give a toss about Palestine if it was populated by Buddhists? Would you even give a toss about it if Israel was another Muslim country at war with Palestine? I doubt it. Your own Stone Age, homophobic, misogynist, child brainwashing, science denying clan have such deeply embedded hatred of Jews that you will never be able to apply any balance or logic to your arguments.
2:47pm Mon 26 Nov 12
George Khan says...
You come across like a fool, because Palestinians believe-
In a two state solution-based on the 1967 borders
But the Nazis use delay tactics and don’t want a settlement freeze
They will squeeze the Palestinians until even nothing seems a bonus
That is the tactic, ‘Make them grateful for the absolute complete minimum’
As for the Muslim/ Jew linkage, jews are our brothers
They believe in the holy books, there is a UK based organisation-
‘Jews for justice for Palestinians’, they understand the historical injustice
Another thing, Bethlehem, of relevance to Christians, is under occupation
This is a humanitarian crises created by the non-jews, the Zionists
It’s nothing to do with creed, colour or religion
3:16pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Alf Hart says...
For years they have constantly fired their rockets at Israeli towns & villages, caring not who they hit. Finally Israel decide to act & retaliate by taking out the string-pullers & cajollers at the top of the Hamas tree....& typically they squeal like little girls about how nasty & horrid the Israelis are.
The fact is, Hamas have been provoking this reaction for ages & then hiding behind civilians hoping for tv news crews to capture the aftermath. "Always the victims" & all that....
If the Palestinians got their act together, instead of war & conflict they could attract tourism & industry to what is a very beautiful & central part of the world. Egypt & Turkey both have very successful tourist industries. Palestine could have similar. There`s nothing to stop them.
I have a friend who lived & worked in Eilat, an Israeli holiday resort on the red sea. It was a beautiful, bustling & vibrant place for many years, until the gulf war.
There`s absolutely no reason why the Palestinians cannot do the same. I`m sure plenty of Palestinian sympathisers would go for a holiday there & spend their hard earned cash, if they thought it good value.
& for that reason, i find it hard to sympathise with their plight.
3:48pm Mon 26 Nov 12
George Khan says...
You say ‘finally Israel react…and they squeal like little girls’
Israel has since it’s wretched inception killed by raid after raid
Inhabitants bulldozed to death in their own houses
Your analogy comes across as pathetic and shameless
It’s Israelis who use Palestinians as human shields
And in the08-09 Gaza Conflict, they even used white phosphorus
It’s easy to use modern technology against unarmed civilians
You just don’t get it, Occupation is provocation
How can the Palestinian economy boom?
When daily, young men spend hours being humiliated at checkpoints
Every bombing targets administrative and financial lifeline epicentres to doom
Gaza is a medieval world courtesy of the Israeli stranglehold
Gideon Haigh, an Israeli said of life in Gaza, ‘It’s like death is the only freedom’
Just imagine living in such a depraved, dangerous, lifeless environment
They don’t need your sympathy, they have a resolve so deep that will help them
Egypt and Turkey have not been suffocated by a vile transgressor
How can you even equate the two? Is your brain slushy as water melon?
You go party in Tel Aviv, the Apartheid oasis, and be ignorant of the bedlam
5:28pm Mon 26 Nov 12
hoppyhol says...
If Israel laid down its weapons tomorrow there would be no more Israel.
Says it all really.
5:47pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Christians for Palestine - www. kairospalestine.ps/
The Islamic cause of Palestine - Al Aqsa
5:51pm Mon 26 Nov 12
vegeboy says...
5:54pm Mon 26 Nov 12
A Darener says...
6:51pm Mon 26 Nov 12
woolywords says...
You will garner more support for your cause if you do not insist in trying to belittle anyone that shows a modicum of thought that isn't necessarily of your view but, if you chose your words with more care, could be persuaded to see the point that you are trying to put across.
Here is how I educate people...
At Xmas '09 I joined a Twitter account that give regular updates of weapons fired out of the Gaza Strip into Israel and it makes appalling reading, especially if you view it online, as I do. This is something that you will have to find some real grounds for moral justification if you are to convince anyone of your cause.
If you own a computer mouse that has a centre wheel, I suggest that you click it once on the screen and let the reports scroll down your screen. You should allow about 30 minutes of your life to read it all. Here is the link to it:-
https://twitter.com/
QassamCount
I shall let the reports speak for themselves, as I feel any comment that I make would be unnecessary.
7:06pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
You really need to get out there and witness at first hand the jewish brutality, rather than depending on making your mouse to do most of your feeble research, as a mouse's vision is an inch long!
7:24pm Mon 26 Nov 12
vegeboy says...
7:47pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
The Just Cause.
As far as islam is concerned, continue arming the rebels in Syria and keep your fingers crossed hoping for peace, just as the west atrociously did in the Iran - Iraq war!
..and for your other feeble points, you're desperate trying to prove one!
8:00pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Islam.... Peace... Never the twain shall meet.
8:34pm Mon 26 Nov 12
pwitch says...
8:42pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
8:44pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Where does Christianity fit into this? Who's the Christian?
Why do you have to look for somebody or something to fight against?
Why are you picking on the Christians?
8:46pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
8:58pm Mon 26 Nov 12
vegeboy says...
9:06pm Mon 26 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Satan's promise 'I will divert all mankind from you (God) till the end'.
God's reply ' Those who will be mine will never be diverted and neither will you have authority over them'.
9:18pm Mon 26 Nov 12
DEO VOLENTE says...
Deus Vobiscum
10:18pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Why have you not answered my questions?
In your desire to move the comments away from the flawed interpretation Islam you've simply tried to get another religion involved in your warped mind games.
10:23pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Just a thought....
10:23pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Just a thought....
11:11pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Rimbus says...
You need to learn to tolerate the views of all people in this world whether you agree with them or not and to respect the fact that not every one shares your beliefs or values.
That is what living together in a civilised community is all about.
5:51am Tue 27 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
6:00am Tue 27 Nov 12
woolywords says...
Set aside all the religeous mumbo jumbo that is being hurled around and lets look at in really simplistic terms, that anyone can follow.
Imagine if you will, that I live opposite you, just across the road and that
everytime that you are sat in your front room, watching TV, my children throw pebbles at your window. Sometimes one or two, sometimes a lot more. No damage is done, just the pure annoyance of it. How long before you come knocking on my door and make complaints?
Then when you do, your complaints are listened to, even sympathised with but the pebbles to continue, day after day, week after week. How long before you decide to come across the road and thump me? Not because of what I have done but that I allow it to be done from where I live.
Would it be after tens or twenties, an hundred or after thousands upon thousands? How tolerant are you of your neighbour?
To quote the Arabic saying, what would be the straw that broke the camels back. Hopefully I've made my point to you..
7:41am Tue 27 Nov 12
makaveli96 says...
Its similar to the USA.
It was taken illegally from the British by the current regime, but did Britain have any right to take from the red Indians?
Similar with British control of Northern Ireland and the Falklands.
These debates will never end.
All I know is that killing of innocent people is wrong wherever there from.
Its should only ever be about Good v Evil.
8:47am Tue 27 Nov 12
shytalk says...
10:38am Tue 27 Nov 12
George Khan says...
Imagine someone breaks into your home and beats your family
They take all possession and displace you into the back-yard
These thieves then don’t feed you but throw you scraps
Your shelter and clothing have been stolen and life is very hard
Every now and then they come outside and kick you for laughs
Occasionally you react and muster the strength to throw a few stones
They like that as it gives them a reason to come outside and kick you even more
There’s no sympathy just antipathy and unabated scorn
You’re humiliated at every turn and your existence is lifeless
You’re purged from your home and subject to constant humiliation
You complain about the kicks and lashes, but these fall on deaf ears
The squatter now throws fireworks and pelts boulders
It’s self defence, claims the squatter’s ‘friends’, don’t throw stones
‘Don’t we have a right to self-defence, it was our house that was stolen..’
‘No you don’t, because we live in a world where might is right’
Israel, the biggest parasitic squatter, on the face of the globe
3:12pm Tue 27 Nov 12
vegeboy says...
5:49pm Tue 27 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Now Woolly tell me who are the agressors?
6:03pm Tue 27 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Refer to the religious books and you'll find muslims aswell as jews, and Christians share the same belief, maybe the wording will differ, but the promise satan made and the reply God gave after he was expelled from the heavens and thrown down to earth.
Now demonrimpuss, tell me where I have disputed other beliefs. It's infact you calling 'lunatics' for people who have similar beliefs.
On your way loony and take that jdasswipe with you.
6:18pm Tue 27 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
I now hear Yasser Arafat was poisoned, radio active polonium substance.
I wonder who's responsible!!!
6:19pm Tue 27 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Why try to defend the indefensible?
6:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
6:35pm Tue 27 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Anyway what do you mean 'you'. Why not direct the question to the perpetrators and the guilty ones.
I do know each one claiming to follow their correct version of religion,
7:29am Wed 28 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
As for 'self righteous Asian minority', ask any asian regardless of news article and they'll all agree and will come to one conclusion, that for whatever the reason, it is always YOU who's always on the attack and full of criticism. Not that it effects us asians a slight bit because none of it is justified, it does confirm and proves one thing, you're a comedian.
Now do one. I don't wish my precious time to be wasted on cretins.
6:05pm Wed 28 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Look back over this comments thread and you'll see that I only comment when you start being insulting.
All I do is put you in your place and treat you like the racist dog you are
6:33pm Wed 28 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
I can smell you burning!
9:51pm Wed 28 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
Still wasting your time on me I see.
If I'm burning, why is that you resort to childish insults with EVERYONE you disagree with?
All that stress is gonna kill ya!
11:30am Thu 29 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
Unlike you I have no enmity within me.
Jack'nory, you are the child, and jackedoff i'm not insulting you. I'm complementing you.
12:22am Fri 30 Nov 12
jack daniels says...
I can and do manipulate you with each post and you are so conditioned that even after to state you intend to ignore me, you can't even do that!
7:57am Fri 30 Nov 12
sen c ble says...
12:24pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Rumpole says...
The sooner Israel and Iran go to war the sooner the Palestinians and Jews will be able to live together in peace.
8:14pm Fri 30 Nov 12
M.DANNY says...
SA,Israel,Pakistan,N
orth Korea are the places where the most dangerous flashpoints.
12:05pm Sat 1 Dec 12
sen c ble says...
8:36pm Sat 1 Dec 12
M.DANNY says...
Dixon Groups,Marks&Spencer
s ,top people Lord Sugar,Simon Cowell,Milliband brothers politicians and many more.We need to protect Israel because it's only one Jewish country in the world.The Palestinians needs a state of their own too.The problem is both Jewish and Palestinians needs two states living and working together.Middle East has always been a flashpoint for Arab and Israel conflict for over 60 years or so,the USA,Russia,France,UK and China must seek some sort of recognition for a Palestine state at the UN table.Israel is a powerful country with fifth biggest military might,nuclear weapons and icbms which it acquired with collabration with India another would be Super power with 4th biggest military might with sace and Icbms missilles.USA supports both Israel and India ,India because to counterbalance dangerous China's vast military mights in Asia.Israel because threats from Islamic nations like Iran and Pakistan.