Day of protests by campaigners to mark flying of Palestine flag over Sheffield Town Hall
Sheffield Palestine campaigners held events around the city when the country’s flag flew over the town hall in a show of solidarity with its people.
Sheffield City Council agreed to calls by campaigners, members of the public and councillors to fly the flag on Friday (November 29) to mark the UN Day of International Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Giant flags, including one carrying the slogan ‘Stop arming Israel’, were displayed at Meersbrook Park at sunrise, followed by Park Hill flats, Ellesmere Green and the University of Sheffield student concourse. There was also a lunchtime rally outside the town hall.
Campaigners then went to join an evening rally at Rotherham Town Hall, which also flew the flag, along with the other South Yorkshire councils in Barnsley and Doncaster.
Musheir el-Farra of the Sheffield Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid said that the day of solidarity was declared in 1977, in recognition of the displacement by force of thousands of people from their homes in Palestine, who became refugees, when the state of Israel was created in 1948.
Feelings
“Today we managed to persuade the council through public pressure – thousands of people phoned and sent letters and messages to the council, asking to raise the flag on the town hall mast on the day of international solidarity, and the council finally agreed.
“We regard this as a big step but a first step because really the council needs to take more action to reflect the feelings of the people of Sheffield, which is supporting the Palestinians against the genocide which is happening, alongside the dispossession and occupation and denial of their rights.”
Dr Julie Pearn of the Sheffield Labour Friends of Palestine raised the idea of flying the flag at the October meeting of Sheffield City Council. She is now urging the council to fly the flag every year on November 29, “until such time as the Palestinian people achieve peace with justice”.
Campaigners have been holding weekly events and protests since Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza in retaliation against the October 7 attack and hostage-taking by Hamas. More than 45,000 people are estimated to have died, overwhelmingly Palestinians, but also 1,139 Israelis.
This Saturday (December 7) a March for Gaza will assemble at Ellesmere Green, Burngreave at 12.30pm.