Activists from the Socialist Workers' Party demonstrated on campus Wednesday afternoon
By Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco and Clive Davies
Amid shouts of "Free Palestine", several dozen students gathered in the library plaza this afternoon to protest the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza.
Attendees told The Gaudie that the event was held to "raise awareness" about what they believe is a "genocide in Palestine."
After 1400 Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks on 7 October, airstrikes by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have killed over 5000 Palestinians, including many non-combatants.
In addition, Israel, which controls 6 of 7 border crossings into Gaza, has primarily prevented food, water, and fuel supplies from being delivered to the enclave, as they prepare for a prolonged ground invasion.
Organised by the Socialist Workers' Party Student Society, the event saw several speakers address the crowd about the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Asked about the aim of the protest, one of the SWPSS's members told our reporter:
"We believe in freedom for Palestine. The Israeli people have been murdering them consistently..."
"The media is either not commenting on it or twisting facts to incriminate Hamas, and we don't believe that's right. So we came out today to protest."
Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK government, has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
On October 7th, Hamas militants invaded a number of Israeli border towns near Gaza, killing approximately 1400 Israelis, including hundreds of civilians at a music festival. They also took over 200 hostages, including children and the elderly.
The Socalist Workers' Party previously labelled the actions of Hamas as "Palestinian resistance" against "racist Israel."
The front page of the Socialist Worker for 11-17 November reads: "Smash Israel Terror State: Victory to Palestine."
Similarly, placards carried during the protest read "Victory to the resistance."
A Palestinian student who attended Wednesday's demonstration, who asked not to be named, said:
"[This] was a protest for people who care about human lives, care about standing up for what's right..."
"We want to spread awareness. We want to get people involved," she added.
"We want to be loud. We want to be in their faces, because that's the only way they're going to listen and perk up to what's actually happening in the world."
Protests against ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have taken place each of the last two Saturdays in Aberdeen City Centre, and more protests are planned in the weeks ahead.
