Saturday’s South London March for Palestine, called by Wandsworth Stop the War Coalition was supported by many organisations from south of the river and made its two mile route through the busy main roads of Balham and Tooting.
Almost three hundred people gathered outside Balham Mosque for the start of the march, including many families, and there were banners from several trade union organisations, as well as the many placards from Stop the War and Socialist Worker and rather fewer from Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
The march had strong support from Muslims in the area, and apart from starting at the Balham Mosque it ended with a rally at the Tooting Mosque which unfortunately I couldn’t stay for.
For once it was an event it was a delight to photograph. Friendly people, helpful stewarding (other Stop the War stewards could certainly learn from this) and no hassle at all from the police, who cleared the traffic and otherwise more or less kept out of the way, although they did insist that the march kept on moving. It was after all going down one of the main routes out of London to the south, the A24 Balham High Road/Upper Tooting Road, both also lined with shops and busy with shoppers on a Saturday afternoon.
It made quite an impressive sight going along the road, as well as a great deal of noise. Many people stopped to watch it go past and many showed their support by waving and applauding. The march was led by a group of very energetic young boys in white t-shirts with blood-red hands marking them, closely followed by some of the women of all ages in front of the main banner which was mainly held by men – with Lindsey German of Stop the War joining them a little way down the road.
There were also several photographers from the local papers present, so I hope it got some good local coverage. I posted a short report on ‘Indymedia’ which is more or less as you can also read on My London Diary, where you can see many more pictures.
