ABERDEEN STANDS WITH GAZA - Join the protest against Israel's war on children and civilians

Please join the protest against the on going Israeli attacks on Gaza on Saturday 2nd August at 12 noon in St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen.

The protest has been organised by the Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the ATUC amongst others.

Brian Carroll of the ATUC said, "We are calling on all citizens and trade unionists to come along and support Gaza in a week which has seen a UN school targeted amongst many other atrocities.

"It has never been more important to join in the global mass protest.

"With a ground assault now adding to the relentless air and sea attacks, the death toll now stands at well over 1,000, with more than a quarter of these children. Thousands more have been injured. Homes, hospitals, schools - all targets. Almost 120000 have been forced from their homes.

"THIS HAS TO END!!  Let's stand with Gaza!"

Aberdeen stands with Gaza facebook page

Aberdeen CND's Hiroshima Memorial Event commemorates 200,000 victims of the atomic bomb

The Hiroshima Memorial Event in Aberdeen will take place at the Fisherman's Hut down by the River Dee on Wednesday 6th August starting at 8.30pm. All are welcome.

The event has been organised by Aberdeen and District CND to mark the 69th anniversary of the first use of nuclear weapons. In August 1945, the US dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Jonathan Russell, Chair of Aberdeen and District CND said, "As well as speakers from trade unions, community and faith groups, and civic leaders, songs and poetry, we are particularly pleased to have Yu Aoki, who lives and works in Aberdeen but who comes from Hiroshima, speaking at the memorial event.

"We will release 200 peace lanterns on the River Dee to commemorate the 200,000 men, women and children who died."

Fourth week of Aberdeen protest to end the Israeli bombardment of Gaza as the Palestinian death toll rises to 1000

As thousands gathered in Edinburgh today to protest the killing of more than 1000 Palestinians in Gaza, the vast majority of them civilians and many of them children, the people of Aberdeen also came together for the fourth week in a row in even greater numbers than last week.

Today's ceasefire has allowed the true scale of Palestinian deaths to come to light as more bodies, mainly women and children, have been pulled from the rubble of bombed buildings. Over 5,700 people have been wounded and tens of thousands have been left homeless by Israeli shelling.

The Aberdeen Youth Festival kindly turned off their music, as the crowd observed a minutes silence to mourn the dead and speakers again spoke of the terrible impact of the Israeli assault on Gaza, and the need for the world to wake up to the terrible wrongs that have been done to the Palestinian people, not only now in Gaza, but over the past 6 decades.

Kate Ramsden, of the Aberdeen Trades Union Council welcomed around 400 protesters who had come out in support of the Palestinian people and to call for an end to Israel's "collective punishment" in a week that had seen one child in Gaza killed every hour in a two day period. "This is shameful," said Kate, "and we must all do everything we can to make Israel stop."

Ibrahim spoke again. He grew up in Gaza and some of his family still live there. He spoke about the history of the occupied territories, and condemned Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people. "All we want is for them to treat us with humanity, and give us our freedom," said Ibrahim.

ABERDEEN STANDS WITH GAZA Join the protest against Israel's war on children

Come along to St Nicholas Square in Aberdeen at 12 noon this Saturday 26th July, and join the protest against the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza.

With a ground assault now adding to the relentless air and sea attacks, the death toll now stands at 630, with 3600 injured. Homes, hospitals, schools - all targets. Almost 120,000 people have been forced from their homes, and a child has been killed every hour since the Israeli bombardment began, with many more injured and traumatised.

THIS HAS TO END!! Join in the global mass protest! Let's fill St Nicholas Square and stand with Gaza!

Called by Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Aberdeen Trades Union Council, Unite, Aberdeen Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Aberdeen Radical Independence Campaign.

Go to the ABERDEEN STANDS WITH GAZA facebook page for more information

Hundreds of voices raised in protest and outrage against Israel’s “war against children” in Gaza

Almost 300 protesters gathered in St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen on Saturday 19^th July to show their outrage at the continuing Israeli assault on Gaza and the brutal killing and injuring of civilians, including many children.

Organised by the Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Aberdeen Trade Union Council and other local groups, these numbers have swollen tenfold over the past two weeks as more and more people from the North East raise their voices in condemnation at the Israeli policy of collective punishment and the failure of the international community to put a stop to this.

Kate "ordinary people
raising our voices"

ATUC Vice President, Kate Ramsden, welcomed the protesters and thanked them for turning out in such numbers. She reminded us that in the dark days of South African apartheid, the voices raised in protest were not those of governments but those of ordinary people like ourselves, of trade unionists, of activists and of citizens who just knew apartheid was wrong.

“That is why we are here today, ordinary people raising our voices because we know that the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the brutal oppression and repression of the Palestinian people, and in Gaza, the killing of Palestinian civilians, including so many children, is just wrong.”

Members of the public, out shopping stopped to listen and to lend their support as the speakers gave moving testimony of the impact on the Gazan people of occupation, oppression, and now out and out assault by Israel.

Build international pressure for an end to Israel's bombardment of Gaza - Protest on Saturday 19th July 12 noon

As the death toll in Gaza rises to more than 200, with almost a thousand wounded, most of them civilians and many of them women and children, SPSC Aberdeen and the ATUC is calling for action to show our outrage at the Israeli assault on Gaza and to build the international pressure to condemn Israel’s crimes against humanity.

We must keep up the pressure. Please join us again next Saturday 19th July for a demonstration demanding the end of the bombardment of Gaza.  The event will start at 12noon - LET'S FILL ST NICHOLAS SQUARE.

You can also join the SPSC protest outside the BBC offices at 36 Beechgrove Terrace on Friday 18th July at 12.30pm (www.facebook.com/events/1438472256438071) to express your outrage at the biased BBC coverage of the illegal blockade and bombing of Gaza.

Dave Black of SPSC Aberdeen said, "Thanks to all those who came along to the protest last Saturday,  for showing your solidarity with the Palestinian people and outrage at the illegal and inhumane aggression against the population of Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces.

End Israeli terror tactics in Gaza

ATUC delegates joined around 120 other protesters on Saturday 12th July, to mourn the deaths of over 120 Palestinian men, women and children at the hands of Israel in the past few weeks, and to call for an end to the Israeli bombardment of  Gaza.

Protesters called on politicians to act to put a stop to "this brutal assault on a captive population."

The protest was one of many held across Scotland and the UK as revulsion for the tactics of Israel continues to grow.

Passers by stopped to listen as speaker after speaker told of the terror of ordinary people, "people like you and me" as the drones and rockets fired from Israel, landed near by, killing and injuring their friends and neighbours.

ATUC congratulates the thousands of PCS members striking for fair pay

THOUSANDS of Scottish public sector workers - members of the PCS union - joined a UK-wide walkout to demand an increase in pay. The ATUC had earlier sent greetings and solidarity to the strikers and congratulates the union on a very successful day of action.

Court services were reduced and museums and driving centres closed as members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union protested over what it has calculated as a 20 per cent cut in earnings through a pay freeze and cap in recent years.

Civil servants, council staff and cleaners stood on picket lines across the country, and rallies were held Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The PCS in Scotland said the 24-hour strike had enjoyed large support as people called on ministers to "break with the imposed UK austerity pay cap" in the run-up to the independence referendum.
 

Aberdeen in solidarity with Palestine: Stop the attacks on Gaza

Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) Aberdeen have organised a further protest on Saturday 12th July in St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen, to call for an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza.

As Israel continues to relentlessly bomb the besieged Gaza Strip, the number of Palestinian dead is now estimated to be at least 81, including dozens of children. More than 550 Palestinians have been injured during the attacks, with many in a serious condition, and medical services are struggling to cope with the wounded. Hundreds are being left homeless as family homes are reduced to rubble by Israeli missiles, and deliberate targeting of agricultural land destroys livelihoods and the ability of the region to feed itself.

Dave Black of the SPSC said, "This brutal assault on a captive population must end. Israel is not acting in self-defence - it is an oppressive occupying power carrying out a calculated programme of collective punishment across the West Bank and Gaza. As Israeli war-mongering rhetoric builds, its forces are massing along the Gazan border, prompting fears of an imminent ground invasion."

Join SPSC this Saturday as they stand in solidarity with Palestine to protest Israeli aggression and crimes against humanity.

END the attack on Gaza! END the collective punishment! NO to occupation and oppression! FREE Palestine!

ATUC solidarity with trade unions across the UK striking for fair pay

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends greetings and solidarity, as almost 1.5 million public sector workers take action simultaneously today 10th July.

Whilst most of the action takes place in England and Wales, the civil service union, PCS has thousands of members out in Scotland, fighting for decent pay for members.

Brian Carroll of the PCS said, " Whether it’s local government or civil service pay, firefighter pensions or teachers’ workloads – the underlying problem is the same: public sector workers are being made to carry the can for the economic crisis.

"Due to pay and pension cuts, some of our members have seen real terms losses in their income of 20% since 2010. Yet the top bosses continue to get inflation-busting pay deals, and a tax cut too.

Activists protest the Israeli enforced collective punishment as more children are victimised

The Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign protest in Aberdeen saw activists from across the North East of Scotland come together in St Nicholas Square on Saturday 5th July, to stand in solidarity with Palestine, and to protest the latest instance of Israeli enforced collective punishment and the biased mainstream media coverage in the UK. 

Activists from Dundee and Perth joined over 30 others from a range of organisations and communities, demonstrating the diversity of the support and solidarity with Palestine. 

Emergency Demonstration in Solidarity with the people of Palestine: No More Collective Punishment!

SPSC Aberdeen has called on the people of Aberdeen to come together this Saturday 5th July at 12 noon in St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen City Centre, "to send a clear message to our fellow citizens, our governments and the people of Palestine that we deplore yet another illegal collective punishment against the Palestinian people being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces."

 

SPSC Aberdeen is calling for increased solidarity with the Palestinian people. Since the kidnapping and subsequent murder of three Israeli teenagers in illegal settlements in the West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces have killed at least 6 Palestinian civilians, including one 14-year-old child and a mentally ill man on his way to morning prayers.