Bolton town centre protest calls for ceasefire in Palestine

Families and friends marched from Queens Park to the town hall steps on Victoria Square, waving flags and placards whilst they chanted ‘free Palestine’.

Shabnam Amla and Rabia Govalia attended the protest.

Rabia said: “I think it is important protests take place because everyone needs to be aware of what is actually going on in Palestine.

Shabnam Amla and Rabia Govalia (Image: NQ)“I think it is an absolute disgrace that we can sit back and watch genocide happening in 2024 and nobody is doing anything about it.

“People need to wake up and see what is happening, stop this killing please.

“It means absolutely everything to me to be here today, all of our voices need to be heard by our government.

“They have done nothing, these are human lives, the government needs to wake up and needs to see what is going on, they need to call a ceasefire now.”

Nabil Haque and Hiroshi Sasaki (Image: NQ)Nabil Haque and Hiroshi Sasaki also attended the protest, they said something needs to be done now.

Nabil said: “I attended today to help spread awareness about what is going on in Palestine and theses protests show that if more people are involved hopefully it might come to an end soon.”

After the rally took place, powerful speeches were made, and songs were sung as hundreds of people called for a ceasefire.

Co-organiser of today's Bolton4Palestine Demonstration, Neil McAlister, said: “As UK Politicians continue to let the Palestinians down, it is up to ordinary people to stand up and demand an immediate ceasefire, an end to the Blockade of Gaza and for Justice and Freedom for the Palestinians.

“The protests of millions of people across the world are making an enormous difference.

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“There is a democratic deficit as politicians refuse to stand up against this

“Good people have filled that void and forced the plight of the Palestinians onto the political agenda, in Washington, in London, in Cairo and even here in Bolton, where politicians only spoke after the people demanded it.”

Retired veteran trade unionist Florence Hill said she is calling for a ceasefire.

Florence Hill (Image: NQ)She said: “I think what is happening in Gaza is absolutely horrendous and we have to protest all across the world because otherwise the voices of the people in Gaza, especially the women and the children, they are not being heard.

“We need to get the voices out there to say this genocide is absolutely appalling and nobody within the government are doing anything.

“We are just people who live in Bolton, but we want our voices heard across the world and especially for those people in Gaza.”

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno.