On Sunday 11th February, approximately 2,000 people gathered in Tāmaki Makaurau’s Te Komititanga Square to ‘Bang Pots for Palestine’.
Equipped with pots, pans and a variety of noise makers, Palestinian Youth Aotearoa lead the rally, filling the lower CBD with Palestinian Flags, Keffiyehs and unrelenting hope for a ceasefire. We heard from a number of speakers including supporters and activists from community in Tāmaki Makaurau: Bianca Ranson from the Kaiawhina team, Robyn from Tāmaki Loves Palestine, Rahaf Gouda giving the weekly report of destruction and death in Gaza and the West Bank, and Dr Ala Fadah, a Dr from Kirikiriroa Hamilton, a community leader, activist and proud Sudanese Kiwi.
The pots we brought to make noise with were to symbolise the starvation of Palestinians, with severe food scarcity in Gaza due to the blockade by Israel at the Rafah crossing, and by Israelis at the Kerem Shalom crossing, preventing the flow of desperately needed aid. Meanwhile, following an accusation from an Israeli think-tank, western countries including New Zealand have suspended funding to UNRWA, a UN agency which is the main humanitarian provider in Gaza, and supports 6 million Palestinian Refugees. The protest called for a recommencement and increase of aid to the relief agency.
Starting in Britomart Square for speeches, and chants practice, the crowd marched down Quay Street. Stopping momentarily at the US Consulate where a speech was made decrying the United States’ complicity in the genocide by enabling and funding the Israeli Occupations military aggression.
The march made their way to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where Gaza-based long-time Palestinian human rights activist Julie Webb-Pullman made a speech, criticizing the NZ governments response in sending intelligence personnel to assist the attacks on Yemen, and highlighting the travesty occurring in the Gaza Strip. She mentioned that a graveyard containing remains of New Zealand soldiers from World War One had been desecrated by Israeli military who have been demolishing and bulldozing vast areas of significance and 80% of homes in the Gaza Strip.
The march carried along past the viaduct to lower Hobson St, before returning to Britomart Square using Customs Street.
The rally marked the 18th consecutive week of Tāmaki Makaurau calling for a ceasefire. At least 28,000 Palestinian lives have been taken according to Palestinian Ministry of Health, as the genocidal-Israeli bombardment of civilian shelters and medical premises continues.
This week the genocide-state is turning the focus of it’s campaign of death upon densely populated area Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians were displaced to as a “safe zone”.
Auckland Peace Action 