Dear editor,
On Saturday, 27 September, more than 60 Bedfordians held a roadside peace rally on Bedford High Street to protest what we believe is “the ongoing genocide” of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The protest was organised by Bedford Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
With placards held high, we were heartened by the beeps of support from passing cars and the many people who stopped to listen, share their thoughts, and stand in solidarity with us.
The speeches delivered were powerful and deeply moving, echoing a shared humanitarian concern at the dreadful atrocities everyone must be aware of in Gaza and increasingly on the West Bank.
This gathering was not a one-off. We have been campaigning for a ceasefire, a release of all hostages, Israeli and Palestinian, for nearly two years.
We call on the UK government to end arms contracts with Israel and to stop enabling violence through arms sales and through silence and complicity. Britain’s historical role in this conflict, dating back over a century, makes the UK’s responsibility even more urgent.
We are also campaigning for local government pension fund divestment, demanding that our public money not be invested in companies profiting from illegal occupation and war crimes. Our message is clear: not in our name, and not with our money.
We acknowledge the suffering of all civilians, including the hostages still held and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners, many detained without charge. Justice must be universal, and human rights must apply to all.
We are proud to stand alongside local Palestinians, who have shown immense courage and resilience. Their voices and experiences are central to our movement, and their support strengthens our resolve.
Our group is made up of ordinary people doing what we can — raising our voices, boycotting Israeli goods, campaigning for divestment, and showing visible support for peace and justice. We are active, we are growing, and we are not going away.
The Bedfordshire Pension Fund currently invests over £31 million in companies complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. Together, we can call on Bedford Borough Council to divest now.
As residents, workers, students and trade unionists, your voice matters. Sign the petition here.
Look for us on social media (Instagram & Facebook). Join us. Because silence is complicity — and we choose action. We will not rest until there is a free and fair Palestine.
Rosie Newbigging
Bedford PSC Chair
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