Boat protest against Israel’s blockade of Gaza

Published: 1st July, 2011
by JOSH LOEB

ACTIVISTS, including Islington’s Alex Harrison, campaigning against Israel’s blockade of Gaza took to the water this week to raise awareness of the Free Gaza flotilla, which is set to sail to the war-torn territory from Greece this weekend.

Mr Harrison – who lives on the Marquess Estate off Essex Road and was part of last year’s flotilla which was stormed by the Israeli Army – was in the boat, draped in the Palestinian flag, as it sailed from Festival Pier to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday.

Also on the Thames boat was Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas, who said: “It is hard not to be aware of Palestine when it’s the root of so many injustices in the Middle East today.”

The activists say the blockade of Gaza is inhumane as it deprives the territory’s inhabitants of vital aid. 

Gaza suffered heavy bombing from Israel in 2008 and has been under an Israeli blockade since the militant Islamist group Hamas took control there in 2007.