———————————————-
Justice for Palestine Committee
———————————————-

2nd December 2002

PRESS RELEASE: Three Thousand brave London weather to protest against Israeli aggression
Higher than expected turn-out evidences extent of opposition to Israeli aggression

Three thousand protestors braved the stormy British weather to attend the annual Al-Quds Day march, yesterday Sunday 1st December 2002. Speaking on behalf of the Justice for Palestine Committee, Massoud Shadjareh said:

“The turnout evidences the extent to which ordinary people are disgusted by the actions and atrocities committed by the Israeli regime.

“Whilst Al-Quds Day is a Muslim led and Islamically inspired initiative we are pleased to announce that once more many non-Muslim participate to give voice to the universal anger and frustration felt at the oppression of the Palestinians and global oppression generally.”

Once more the march was joined by the orthodox Jewish group Neturei Karta who took to the podium in the rally in Trafalgar Square at the end of the march. They joined Ayatollah Mohsen Araki of the Islamic Centre of England and Majed El-Zeer, Director the Palestinian Return Centre who addressed the crowd.

The annual march takes its name from the Arabic for Jerusalem i.e. Al-Quds, the Holy Land, and uses the plight of Palestinians as a symbol for world-wide oppression perpetrated by the powerful over the weak in the name of race, religion, capitalism and other ideologies. It had particular poignancy this year as the world prepares for war against Iraq.

Digital photographs of the event are available for press use. For further information please contact the Press Officer on (+44) 20 8902 0888 or (+44) 7958 522 196, email: quds@ihrc.org

Organised by the Justice for Palestine Committee
www.justiceforpalestine.com

The Justice for Palestine Committee is a coalition consisting of the Islamic Centre of England, Muslim Association of Britain, Palestinian Return Centre, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Islamic Human Rights Commission, Lebanese Community Association, Association of Muslim Ulama in Europe, United Islamic Students’ Association and Innovative Minds.