‘1,000 Days of Genocide’ march planned for Wales’ capital

Adam Johannes

Hundreds of people are expected to march through Cardiff city centre on Saturday as campaigners gather to mark what organisers describe as the “1,000th day of genocide” in Gaza.

The demonstration has been organised by a coalition of peace, pro-Palestine, trade union, faith and community organisations and will assemble at 1pm on Saturday, July 4, at the Aneurin Bevan Statue on Queen Street before marching through the city.

The event will hear from a range of speakers, including Welsh Palestinians, health workers and humanitarian volunteers who recently joined the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, an international group that attempted to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by sea. Also addressing the rally will be Emma Kamio, whose daughter, 30-year-old Palestine Action activist Ellie Kamio, is currently serving a prison sentence.

In a statement ahead of the demonstration, organisers said: “Saturday marks Day 1,000 of a genocide in Gaza that has been enabled by Western governments, Western weapons and Western money. Palestinians have called for global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel, just as Black South Africans once called on the world to isolate apartheid. The Welsh Government must answer that call.”

Sabrin Hasbun, a Palestinian-Italian writer and co-chair of Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, said,
“The fact that we need to still protest after one thousand days of genocide is heartbreaking and it should appall us all. The atrocities that Israel is committing in Gaza and in the West Bank, and now in Lebanon, should have been stopped at the first bomb dropped, the first hospital destroyed, the first neighbourhood flattened down, the first doctor kidnapped, the first journalist silenced, the first father carrying his family member in plastic bags, the first mother under the rubble, the first child dismembered. The recent UN Commission report has finally confirmed what Palestinians have said and witnessed for years: that all these atrocities are deliberate and amount to genocide and crimes against humanity.”

“A demonstration may seem inconsequential after so many months, but they are crucial in times where our democracies and our right to protest are under attack. But most of all, coming together in our streets to talk about what’s happening to our world is how we start to plan changes and conceive alternatives, not only against the violence in Palestine but also for the threats to our humanity here in the UK. This protest is to remind us that a genocide should not have reached its 1000th day and it should not last one day more: as people we have to do anything in our power to make that happen.”

Almost 40% of Members of the Senedd, including a majority of the new Welsh Government Cabinet, have backed a pledge supporting the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

Bethan Sayed, former Senedd Member and Co-Chair of Palestine Solidarity Cymru, said: “One thousand days of relentless violence and state-sanctioned starvation have laid bare the absolute horror of this genocide. We cannot look away, and more importantly, we cannot allow our public institutions to fund or normalise it.

“Through our Senedd Pledge for Palestine, we have been entirely clear about what the Welsh Government can and should do right now. While foreign policy may rest with Westminster, Wales has complete control over its own procurement, public contracts, and financial support. We are calling on the Welsh Government and all Welsh public bodies to deploy a rigorous framework of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. This means immediately auditing and terminating any public contracts, pension investments, or financial agreements tied to companies and entities complicit in Israel’s violations of international law.”

“But this isn’t just a duty for our politicians; it is a collective effort for the entire Welsh public. True solidarity is built on everyday choices. We are asking people across Wales to look closely at where they spend their money, whether that means intentionally checking labels at the supermarket to boycott Israeli produce, switching away from complicit brands, or pressuring local shops to pull those products from their shelves.”

“Wales must firmly refuse to be a partner in apartheid, and by aligning our everyday choices with our values, we can ensure that our collective stance for human rights and justice is felt from our high streets straight to the Senedd.”

Adam Johannes, Joint Secretary of Cardiff Stop the War Coalition said one of Saturday’s most significant speakers would be Emma Kamio, whose daughter Ellie was jailed after taking part in direct action targeting an arms company.

He shared: “The case involving the “Filton 4″ represents the first time protesters have received terrorist-related sentences for property damage where there was no intention to harm a person.”

“The Government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation is a move designed to protect Britain’s arms supply chain to Israel. It has been condemned by Amnesty International and Liberty, the main human rights organisations in Britain, as well as trade unions and MPs from different political parties.”

“Those condemned today are often vindicated tomorrow. Ellie Kamio and her fellow protesters belong to a long tradition that includes the Suffragettes and the Tolpuddle Martyrs, people who were punished for challenging injustice and are now honoured for expanding democracy.”

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s rally, Emma Kamio reflected on her daughter, Ellie’s sentencing: “As the draconian sentence of six years for trying to stop a genocide was delivered, the judge ordered them to leave the dock. But Ellie had the final word as she gently turned to the onlookers in the gallery and quoted a line from a Palestinian poet: ‘To hear the birds, the drones must be silent.’ Her resilience takes my breath away.”