Thirty protesters gathered in Glasgow’s city centre Thursday night to raise awareness of eight
UK prisoners who have been staging a hunger strike whilst they await trial.
And they were joined by YOUR party founder and MP Zara Sultana as they took part in their
demonstration at Nelson Mandela Place.
Speaking exclusively to the Clyde Insider, Sultana said: “It’s inspiring to see people continuously
come out to fight against the genocide that is being perpetrated in Gaza with the sign off of the
British government, which continues to sell arms to the genocidal, apartheid state.”
The eight prisoners remain in custody after they were arrested and charged in connection with
alleged criminal activity whilst protesting on behalf of Palestine Action. This was before the
organisation was prescribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government.
Two of the eight have now ended their campaign following hospital admissions, but those
campaigning for them on the outside say that they are waiting on remand for too long before
their trial starts. For some, they could have been in jail for up to 19 months before their trial
officially begins.
Sultana continued: “Their [hunger strikers] demands for a fair trial, to have immediate bail, are
demands that we should all be supporting. And the fact they are being denied medical care
because the British state wants them to die, to send a message to the rest of us, has to force us
all into action.”
Yesterday’s event came a day after the MP for Coventry South attended a protest outside HMP
Bronzefield in Ashford near London. Whilst there, she joined activists demanding that an
ambulance be allowed to take hunger striker Qesser Zuhran to the hospital.
Qesser is one of the eight inmates participating in the coordinated hunger strikes. On the 46th
day of her strike, activists demanded emergency care. There were growing concerns for her health.
Sultana claims the prison governor was blocking the ambulance from entering the prison
grounds.
Gail, a spokesperson for HMP Bronzefield, said in response: “We cannot comment on the
circumstances of individual prisoners.
“However, we can confirm that prisoners’ wellbeing is continually assessed, and appropriate action is taken where required, including access to hospital treatment. Any prisoner refusing food receives regular medical assessment and support in line with established policy and with full regard to prisoner rights.”
Building on this momentum, those attending the emergency demonstration in central Glasgow
highlighted concerns about the treatment of those detainees.
They also called for bail to be given for the prisoners on hunger strike and that censorship of
their communications should be ended as well as the release of all necessary documents to
ensure fair trials.
In addition, they want Palestine Action to be removed from the list of prohibited
organisations and that Elbit Systems’ activities in Britain be stopped.
