'Freedom for Fatema' campaign at Goldsmiths

Staff and students at Goldsmiths University of London are campaigning for the release of a Goldsmiths student who has been in prison for over a year for alleged Palestine solidarity action. Fatema Zainab Rajwani, who also goes by Ray, is a 21-year-old film student and poet. They are currently being held as part of the Filton24, imprisoned without being convicted for alleged damage of weapons in an Israeli arms factory in England belonging to Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, at Filton near Bristol.  Ray’s trial at Woolwich has just concluded, and they are now awaiting jury deliberation alongside five of their co-defendants. Fatema was meant to begin their final year as a Media and Communications student at Goldsmiths in September 2024, but they were remanded after being arrested at Filton in August 2024. Eight other prisoners have taken part in a hunger strike.

According to Goldsmiths UCU:

'Ray is proud of their Indian heritage and East African roots. They are a film student and a poet, and their writing is an attempt to mediate between the existence we are witnessing and the beautiful world we have the capacity to rebuild together.

Fatema’s interests include reading and writing poetry, history, and social theory; Bollywood films and songs; zines; BFI films; Chappell Roan; Buffy; We Are Lady Parts; Sweatshop Boys; and books by Kamila Shamsie. They love meeting new people and hearing about others.

As Fatema has said: “We reject the business of imperialist murder that Britain profits from. The slaughter of Black and Brown bodies that the British arms trade facilitates must end. Long live Palestine.”

 

Lewisham 'Stop Starving Gaza' protest

 200+ people out tonight at Lewisham Clock Tower for a 'Stop Starving Gaza' pot and pan protest, called by Lewisham Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Lewisham and Greenwich CND.

There were similar events elsewhere, as Brixton Buzz reports the protest at Lambeth Town Hall included Vanessa Redgrave banging a saucepan

Photo from Brixton Buzz

'Show genocide the red card!' - Dulwich Hamlet & Clapton women's match abandoned over Palestine banners

A women's football final involving Dulwich Hamlet and Clapton football clubs was abandoned yesterday after officials objected to fans of both teams displaying pro-Palestinian flags and banners. As part of the fifth tier of women's football in England, the London and South East Women's Regional Football League rarely features in the news, but this week's League Trophy Final held at Maidstone United's ground looks set to get international attention.

Clapton CFC Women's First Team were 2-0 up against Dulwich Hamlet Reserves after about 20 minutes. A statement from Clapton explains what happened next:

'Today’s L&SERWFL Trophy final between Clapton CFC Women’s First Team and Dulwich Hamlet Reserves at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium was abandoned with Clapton leading 2-0.

We were told the management at the venue objected to the presence of a Palestine flag among Clapton’s support and an anti-genocide banner among the Dulwich Hamlet support. Both sets of supporters indicated they did not wish to remove the flag/banner and the venue and league and match officials decided the game could not continue. There was an offer to play the game to a conclusion behind closed doors but our players felt that football without fans is nothing. Clapton CFC is a members-owned, members-run football club.

A statement on behalf of the team said: “Today, 32 women were denied the opportunity to play the L&SERWFL Trophy final. About 20 minutes into the match, both Clapton and Dulwich supporters were approached by a representative of Maidstone United, Gallagher Stadium owners. He demanded that our supporters must stop waving the Palestinian flag, and the Dulwich supporters must take down their banner which read 'Show genocide the red card'. After both groups of supporters refused, he called the officials together and communicated that we could not use the ground while both the Palestinian flag and the banner were displayed.

Our given options were to 1) play the game behind closed doors or 2) to abandon the game. Clapton’s players chose to abandon the game. Both sets of fans then came together in solidarity with the Palestinian people, singing more songs and holding up our banners in support of trans women and the Palestine people, respectively. Our players and supporters are united in their support and concern for Palestinians who are being bombed daily. Showing that support with a flag or banner is no reason to abandon a cup final.”

The L&SERWFL have said the cup final is void and will not be replayed or awarded to either finalist. Both clubs will also now face an FA disciplinary process'.

There has also been a statement from Independent Dulwich Hamlet FC Fan Group  'The Pepper Army':

'Today's L&SERWFL Trophy final between Dulwich Hamlet women Reserves and Clapton CFC Women was abandoned with Clapton winning 2-0 after fans from both clubs refused to remove Palestine flags and a banner reading "Show Genocide The Red Card". 

We want to unequivocally state our support for the fans of both clubs who refused to bend to the demands of final hosts Maidstone United FC, and every player who refused  to play if the flags and banners were removed. 

The facts in Gaza are clear and widely accepted: the death toll in Gaza since October 2023 is estimated to be over 54,000; a united Nations Special Committee and Amnesty International have both concluded that the state of Israel is perpetuating a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza; this week the UK government issued a joint statement with the leaders of France and Canada calling on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza. 

Sport has long played an important role in putting pressure on governments perpetrating human rights abuses, from South Africa during the apartheid era to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. Those who argue that political protest does not belong in sport are either ignorant or are deliberately ignoring that history. 

This is particularly true in the women's game — access to the game has always been political, and even now, women continue to fight for the right to play football.  We don't protest at our games because we think one protest in a regional football competition will change what is happening in Gaza. But we do it knowing that every  protest joins a drumbeat of defiance that is slowly convincing the world it cannot ignore the daily murders perpetuated by the state of Israel.  We are, for the avoidance of any doubt, against genocide, against anti-Semitism, against Islamophobia, and against prejudice in all its forms. 

We are proud of the behaviour of Dulwich Hamlet fans today, and we are equally proud  to join hands with the fans of Clapton CFC, who have already done so much to shine a spotlight on the plight of the Palestinian people. History will judge us. Let us all be able to say we were on the right side.'

It seems likely that there will be some FA disciplinary hearing. While people in Gaza face starvation and daily bombing raids from Israel those who dare to speak up against it, and the British government's complicity, increasingly face official sanctions and in some cases criminalisation.

Fans from both clubs at the match (from Tim Harrison on twitter). The 'Free the Filton 18' banner refers to Palestine Action activists in prison for alleged involvement in an action against an Israeli weapons factory near Bristol.

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photo from Artist Taxi Driver @chunkymark 

Goldsmiths: Redundancies protests/Palestine occupation

A rally in the rain at Goldsmiths College last night (15 March 2024) brought together the fight against job cuts and the ongoing 'Goldsmiths for Palestine' occupation.

 

Job Cuts

The ongoing financial crisis at Goldsmiths seems to be reaching a critical point with senior management announcing on 28th February that as part of its 'Transformation Programme' it is planning compulsory redundancies for 130 full time equivalent posts (likely to affect many more than 130 people, as many are on part time contracts). Goldsmiths management certainly deserve the criticism it is getting but the bigger picture is inadequate national Government funding of higher education which is driven not just be economic considerations but by culture war hostility to arts, humanities and social sciences subjects. As stated on this poster, 'This attempt to erode our university represents a broader assault on critical, cultural and political education across academia': 

Goldsmiths for Palestine

Meanwhile the 'Goldsmiths for Palestine' occupation of the College's Stuart Hall building looks set to continue into its fifth week, having started on 19th February

See previously:

A history of student occupations at Goldsmiths