Gabriel (left), Anthony (right) and new-found friends on the South Bank, as part of the red line around Parliament, 4 June 2025. Photo: Anthony Bradnum
Hastings residents join ‘red line’ protest against UK arms sales to Israel
Residents of Hastings & St Leonards travelled to London on Wednesday 4 June to join the national ‘Red line for Palestine’ protest, demanding an end to UK arms sales to Israel. Gabriel Carlyle reports.
On Monday the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) sent out a press release noting that: ‘Right now, 290,00 Palestinians are on the brink of starvation. 70,000 Palestinian children, the majority aged between 1 month and 2 years, have been treated for acute malnutrition. So, we ask [Keir Starmer] this: where is the red line if it is not starving children?’ (see full statement below).
Good question.
The press release called for people to come to London on 4 June, wearing red, to form ‘a red line for Palestine around Parliament during Prime Minister’s Questions to demand a full arms embargo and sanctions on Israel NOW!’
So on Wednesday, Anthony Bradnum and myself caught the first off-peak train to London and joined the protest.
Supporting genocide
Anthony on Lambeth bridge, 4 June 2025. Photo: Gabriel Carlyle
According to Amnesty International Israel is ‘committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.’ And for all its recent crocodile tears, the UK government is actively supporting this.
Though it suspended a small number of arms export licences to Israel last September, the government has continued to supply Israel with crucial components for the F35 fighter aircraft – the single largest and most important part of the UK arms trade with Israel – through third countries.
The UK government has admitted that there is a ‘clear risk’ that F35 components sent to Israel – whether directly or indirectly – could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, which makes such exports illegal under UK law.
Arms sales to Israel are also prohibited under the Arms Trade Treaty, to which the UK is a party.
Opposing genocide
Graphic: Palestine Solidarity Campaign
According to an Opinium poll conducted last week, 57% of the public supports a full arms embargo on Israel, with only 13% opposed.
Given the short notice I wondered whether there’d be enough people to form a human chain around Parliament: a distance of about 1½ miles, crossing both Westminster and Lambeth bridges.
I needn’t have worried. Thousands showed-up to create a see of red.
Michael Rosen was there. Brian Eno was there. A friend whose father was a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust was there.
Two colossal banners spelled out: ‘KEIR STARMER – STARVING CHILDREN IS A RED LINE – ARMS EMBARGO NOW’.
Anthony and Gabriel leaving Parliament after unsuccessfully attempting to ‘Green Card’ Hastings’ MP Helen Dollimore. Photo: Anthony Bradnum
Dollimore no show (again)
Once Prime Minister’s Question Time was over, Anthony and I decided to go in and ‘Green Card’ the MP for Hastings, Helena Dollimore, who has failed to utter so much as a peep of protest concerning her government’s ongoing support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
We filled out our card and waited for an hour. As happened last time I tried this, there was no response.
I included my email on the ‘Green Card’. I haven’t received a response.
Take action
After we’d left, I asked Anthony why he’d come.
He told me: ‘We are witnessing a true horror story in real time. People of Gaza are suffering. International laws are being broken. We have to stand up for human rights. Today people once again turned out in London in their thousands to be heard. Hopefully the tide is turning? Israel will have to be held accountable for war crimes and by being here today we continue to put pressure on those responsible.’
You can send an email Helena Dollimore MP, urging her to support a ‘comprehensive military embargo to end all arms trade and military collaboration with Israel’ here.
Banner on Westminster Bridge, 4 June 2025. Photo: Campaign Against Arms Trade
Keir Starmer: Where is the red line if it is not starving children?
For 20 months Israel has devastated Gaza – killing over 54,000 Palestinians including more than 15,000 children, destroying over 90% of housing, and damaging or destroying over 90% of hospitals. None of this was enough to make you act to impose meaningful sanctions and a full arms embargo. None of this was a red line to end the treatment of Israel as a democratic ally with whom Britain should maintain normal relations. No red line was crossed for you when Israel ignored the measures imposed upon it in Jan 2024 by the ICJ to prevent genocide. No red line when the ICJ ruled in July 2024 on the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank and told states not to render aid or assistance to maintain that illegality. No red line in November 2024 when the ICC issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yaev Galant for crimes against humanity including using starvation as a weapon of war.
Israel’s breaking of the ceasefire agreement, renewal of military assault and imposition of a full blockade on Gaza cutting off all food water and essential supplies in March finally brought a change in your rhetoric and that of your Foreign Secretary. He described the blockade as “intolerable”, as “morally wrong, unjustifiable” and something that “needs to stop.” He described statements by an Israeli Government minister, endorsed by Benjamin Netanyahu, that Israel’s intention was to destroy what is left of Gaza and force Palestinians to leave as “repellent” and “monstrous”. But still, for you, not a red line that would require the imposition of meaningful sanctions and a full arms embargo. Indeed, just hours after David Lammy ended his condemnation of Israel’s actions, an RAF plane took off from Akrotiri Base in Cyprus to fly over Gaza to provide intelligence for the IDF. Having announced a suspension of new Trade talks, you then sent your Trade envoy to Tel Aviv to promote UK-Israel trade.
Right now, 290,00 Palestinians are on the brink of starvation. 70000 Palestinian children, the majority aged between 1 month and 2 years, have been treated for acute malnutrition.
So, we ask you this: where is the red line if it is not starving children?
We call on thousands to join us on June 4th at 1130 as you prepare for your first Prime Minister’s Questions since the recess. We will bring to Parliament the red line you seem unable to locate and demand sanctions and a full arms embargo now.
We will not allow you to try to make us all complicit in these crimes against humanity.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Palestinian Forum in Britain
Friends of Al-Aqsa
Stop the War Coalition
Muslim Association of Britain
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
2 June 2025
If you’re enjoying HOT and would like us to continue providing fair and balanced reporting on local matters please consider making a donation. Click here to open our PayPal donation link. Thank you for your continued support!
Also in: Campaigns
Green-led Council under fire for siding with developers »
