Gaza genocide - we will never look away

As we do every Saturday, citizens of the North East turned out to protest the genocide in Gaza and to demand an end to the UK government complicity in it through supplying arms to Israel. Also to bear witness to the atrocities and the brutality of the Israeli government and the IDF. 

I wanted to post my speech from today's Gaza demo as it includes the moving and powerful words of my Facebook friend Samir, who is living in Gaza amidst the genocide.

It was also the first demo since a direct action group was proscribed as terrorists and comes as almost 600 Gazans have been murdered trying to get food aid.

"Kate Ramsden, SPSC

It has been some week. We are officially through the looking glass, where those that criticise genocide, and those that take action to end the UK government’s complicity in genocide - are the ones facing terrorism charges.

While those that commit genocide – Israel; the IDF – are home free – they pull the strings and like Pinocchio, our government jumps

Where chanting “Death to the IDF” – a brutal military organisation that every day is murdering innocent citizens and children, for God’s sake and targeting medics and journalists with utter impunity – is deemed antisemitic. I mean what?

Many of us here will have watched Doctors Under Fire, bravely shown by Channel 4 whilst the BBC – that mouthpiece for Israel – refused to screen it.

It was harrowing but showed, without any doubt, what most of us here have always known – that the IDF is targeting medics and medical facilities in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention – a war crime.

Yet still we come - standing in solidarity with Gaza

The BDS protest on Saturday 23 July 2024 was another great demonstration of solidarity with Gaza and Palestine with excellent speakers with powerful messages.

The creative family protest was "Poems for Palestine". Children wrote poems and drew powerful pictures representing what is happening in Gaza and their hopes for the future.

But ten months into the genocide in Gaza, it's hard not to feel a sense of helplessness, as the death toll reaches 35,000 including almost 17,000 children. Who cannot feel devastated by the inhumanity of our political leaders that allows such slaughter to continue for their own political ends, and the banks and businesses that care more for profit that for human lives?

But looking at the work of the children, their words and pictures, I was moved to write and recite my own poem, ‘Yet still we come’ about the resilience of our support for Gaza and Palestine in the face of what can seem like overwhelming apathy among the general public and the political self interest of the ruling classes. I'm no poet but I think it's important to put feelings into words.

You can see my poem below...

Protest against the BBC 6th April - Do your job BBC without fear or favour

Six months into Israel's genocide in Gaza, SPSC Aberdeen continues to organise protests every week - some promoting BDS, especially the campaign against Barclay's complicity in the manufacture of weapons which are then sent to Israel. The protest today was against the BBC condemning its biased reporting throughout the conflict and calling for it to boycott the Eurovision if Israel is allowed to take part.

This is the first time in a while that I have spoken but I wanted to share my speech. I will create a record of our original protests when I can.

"We gather here six months into Israel’s vicious bombardment of Gaza which has seen the massacre of almost 33,000 civilians – over 14,000 of them children – with many more missing under rubble

Any excuse that Israel has put forward for their slaughter of civilians has long since been debunked by anyone with an ounce of humanity

The International Court of Justice has found plausible evidence of genocide and an interim report by the UN special rapporteur has confirmed that

These are important steps but anyone watching the horror unfold in Gaza over the past six months can be in no doubt that Israel is engaged in ethnic cleansing and genocide

Not just the massacres of entire families through their bombing campaigns which have left so many bereaved, so many with life changing injuries, so many traumatised, so many displaced

A bombing campaign which has targeted so called safe areas – bombing residential areas and even the tents and makeshift shelters that the displaced have been forced into

Not just the destruction of most of the hospitals in Gaza, the targeting and murders of so many health care staff, that our colleagues in Health Care Workers for Gaza, some of whom are here today, remember every Friday evening

One child dies in Gaza every 15 minutes... the protests continue 21 October 2023

Welcome. It's so good to see so many people here again. I'm Kate Ramsden, from SPSC Aberdeen and it is my privilege to chair this solidarity demo with Gaza.

Because what is happening in Gaza is unbearable

For all of us who care about human rights

For all of us who value every human life equally

And for the avoidance of doubt I do not include Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer amongst us

Their support for Israel shames us all

But if it’s unbearable for us what must it be like for the people living in Gaza

For the people dying in Gaza – over 4000 civilians since this Israeli bombardment began

For the people mourning in Gaza for their families, friends, colleagues, neighbours, and God help us, for their children – one killed every 15 minutes since this began

Think about that. In the time we are here, 4 more children will die in Gaza

For the people displaced in Gaza

For the people made homeless in Gaza

For the people starving in Gaza, deprived of water, food, fuel and medicines in the most brutal of collective punishments – a war crime

Whilst the world looks on and the west is complicit

Gaza solidarity protest 14 October 2023 - And so it begins...

My name is Kate Ramsden and I’m a member of Aberdeen Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign. I have the privilege of chairing this event today.

Welcome to this Call to Action in solidarity with the people of Palestine and specifically the people of Gaza, under such terrible attacks from the state of Israel with the loss of so many lives, many of them children

This is not the first time we have gathered in solidarity with the people of Palestine and Gaza

Over many many years, the people of the North East of Scotland have come together to bear witness to the ongoing oppression, killings, occupation and state terrorism by the government of Israel and to give Palestinians a voice

Because the events of last weekend, tragic though they are, have not come out of nowhere. The killing of innocent civilians has been going on for many years – only those innocents have been Palestinian.

There has been a silent slaughter of Palestinian men, women and children by the state of Israel since the Nakba but growing in intensity over recent years

The people of Palestine have been oppressed and yes, terrorised by Israel, with home invasions, the taking of Palestinian land, restrictions on work and travel, the imprisonment of their people, including their children, the siege of Gaza, frequent bombardments and the killing of civilians.

Even before the terrible bombardments of this past week, this had been the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2014.

This oppression has been supported and also masked by Western governments including our own, who bear massive responsibility for it. Our government has continued to sell arms to Israel and has totally failed to call them out for their oppression of the people of Palestine.

One of the most grievous things about the situation today is how the media and politicians describe the tragic killings of Israeli civilians and children, when they have been all but completely silent on the murders of Palestinian civilians and children by the Israeli army and Police and through settler violence.

There are huge double standards at work here and there always were

That is why it is so important for us to come together here today to give Palestinians, to give Gazans a voice.

Gaza Solidarity Protests Aberdeen Introduction

As an active member of Scottish Palestine Solidarity, Aberdeen I've been actively involved in organising and often chairing the Gaza Solidarity protests, calling for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide, as Israel responded to attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023 with its terrible and indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza, killing more and more civilians and children each passing day, whilst the world has looked on.

My introductory comments to these protests have become an  account of the carnage in Gaza week on week, as the world has looked on and failed to end Israel's massacre of the population through air assaults and their collective punishment of withholding food, water, medicines and fuel. They have referenced Israel's war crimes in real time, and the dismal failure of our Westminster government and the Labour leadership to call for a ceasefire, instead greenlighting Israel's war crimes.

I've decided to publish them on this blog, in part to archive them for myself, and in part to keep this account live for as long as the carnage in Gaza continues, and as an account for posterity when the day comes, as surely it must, when this is over. It may end but it must never be forgotten.

We must stand together against racism, fascism and attempts to divide us

In her speech to the St Andrew's Day Rally, Kate Ramsden, UNISON highlights the importance of fighting racism and inequality and calls for support for UNISON's Year of Black Workers in 2023.

Greetings from UNISON Scotland and thanks so much for inviting me to speak here today.

I’m pleased to bring solidarity from my union to this St Andrew’s day rally.

Because it is so important to be constantly vigilant in the fight against racism and fascism.

And especially now, coming out of COVID and with a cost of living crisis – which is really a cost of greed crisis - when it is all too easy to demonise and blame certain groups – like migrant workers, benefits claimants, disabled people, older people and single parents.

The last couple of years have presented significant challenges for all workers.

COVID impacted on both our personal and professional lives, with many of us losing colleagues and loved ones whilst struggling to deliver services.

 All workers have experienced below inflation pay rises while prices soared. Public services continue to be underfunded and understaffed.

 Our Black colleagues have faced all of these challenges but also have to fight racism on a daily basis.

 Scotland is not immune to that sadly. But it is not just the overt racism that blights lives.

Aberdeen gathers in solidarity with the people of Gaza and mourns the killing of innocents

I attended and spoke at a protest and vigil for Gaza in Aberdeen on Saturday 13 August, to call on our governments and the international community to condemn Israel's latest bombardment of Gaza and to mourn the lives lost including 16 children. 

You can see what I said below. I have put the link to the SPSC statement which has links to petitions and letters to politicians. please go on and  sign and send these.

"Kate Ramsden, speaking on behalf of SPSC Aberdeen.

We are here once again to protest Israel’s bombing of Gaza.

Ordinary people, compassionate people, doing what Western governments have failed to do. Stand against Israel’s apartheid and oppression of the Palestinian people and demand an end to it.

Come along to SPSC's online event and find out how you can support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

ATUC is supporting a series of events organised by Scottish Palestine Solidaroty Campaign (SPSC) Aberdeen, focused on Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS). 

We are urging all our delegates, associates, family and friends to get along to the first event on Zoom on Thursday 27th October 2021 from 6.30-8pm. 

You can find out more by clicking HERE And you can register on Eventbrite HERE

The series will explore the divestment campaign against Caterpillar (via HSBC) and Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes, IHRA (Right to BDS), Puma and sport apartheid.

The first event is the re-launch of our divestment campaign against Caterpillar (via HSBC) and Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes.

Huge rally in Aberdeen tells the world #Palestinian Lives Matter

I was very proud to chair the second Aberdeen rally on 23rd May in support of freedom and justice for the people of Palestine and to call for an end to the oppression, occupation and apartheid policies of the Israeli government and an end to the siege of Gaza.

There were around 400 people there and we made a colourful and noisy sight as we walked in groups of 20 from the mosque on Nelson Street to Marischal Square. 

There we heard stirring calls to action from Imam Ibrahim, Dr Sanaa, Jonathan Russell from CND and Imam Molana Ghulam Hurr Shabbiri, who travelled from Glasgow to be a part of our rally.

It was most inspiring to hear from a number of younger people, reflecting the young people leading the unity action across Palestine. Eleven year old Mustafa was moved to read a poem called "Gaza's Child" after he learned about the impact of the occupation on Palestinian children.

Mariam, a student from Egypt narrated a story she had made up - an analogy to explain the background to the situation in Palestine. Rema Harbi, a student teacher beautifully sang "Mawal" an Arabic poem speaking of love for Palestine and the grief felt at the innocent Palestinians killed. Then Yasmine Benaissa, another student and member of our organising group issued a call to arms, echoing the warning that the ceasefire in Gaza did not mean that the struggle was over.

Another young person, Kareem, from Palestine asked to speak to thank all those in attendance for coming out to support his people and his country.

Here is my introduction.  

Standing together for equality on International Women's Day and every other

Here is my speech for International Women's Day 2020 in Aberdeen, for anyone interested to read it in full.

A bit prophetic if I say so myself, as we see the key importance of women's jobs in the current Covid-19 crisis.

"Kate Ramsden delighted to be speaking here on International Women’s Day on behalf of UNISON.

Because around three quarters of our members are women, many of them in low paid roles

50 years on from the Equal Pay Act the gender pay gap is still with us

The gap between the pay of men and women stands at almost 12% rising to a whopping 38% in the entertainment industry.

So why is that? Of course there are situations where men are just paid more than women even when they do the same job. Samira Ahmed is proof of that.

That’s illegal and it’s wrong. And if you can afford it, it’s challengeable in court

But mainly it’s because most of the jobs that women do are just not valued.

Yet they are amongst the most important roles in our society – roles we just couldn’t do without

Aberdeen joins hundreds of thousands standing together to defend democracy

I was proud to speak on behalf of UNISON at today’s Defend Democracy demo in Aberdeen yesterday, 31st August 2019. Almost 500 joined the hundreds of thousands across the UK to slam Johnson’s assault on democracy for his own ends and to tell him that ordinary people will stand against him and will not allow a no deal Brexit.

Other speakers came from all the political parties standing against this outrage and from citizens groups representing those who have already suffered most from austerity, including Disabled People against Austerity, who gave powerful and moving testimony.

With thanks to Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary for some of my lines, and thanks to Fiona Napier, Alison Evison and John from Scottish Labour for the photos and recording. Unfortunately I can't get the video to load here.

The full content of my speech is below. Let's hope Johnson is listening to the hundreds of thousands of voices slamming his abuse of power and demanding he gets his hands off our democracy.

But this is just the start. We need to keep up the pressure. Johnson and his accolytes think they are untouchable. We need to make it absolutely clear that they are not.

Hope and love will conquer hate

I attended a very moving vigil this evening to remember the innocent victims killed in the terror atrocity in two mosques in Christchurch and to stand in solidarity with our Muslim communities.

Over 100 people came along to send our condolences to all those who lost loved ones and to pledge to fight the politics of hate with hope and love.

I was proud and privileged to speak alongside friends from the Muslim community, trade unionists and local politicians. I feel passionately about the need to call out racism and Islamophobia and to do all we can to challenge the politics of hate and the rise of extremism and the murder of innocents which result.

These are my words:
 
"The murder of innocent Muslim worshippers in Christchurch has been devastating. It was an act of hate, pure and simple, like many such acts we’ve seen over recent years.
 

Like most people I have gone through several emotional phases 

Feelings of deep sadness at the loss of life, especially the children and young people who had their whole lives in front of them

Our poverty shame in the world’s fifth richest economy

Calling for an end to child poverty
at UNISON Conference 2012

If asked what the most important political issue is in the UK today most people, I am guessing, would say Brexit.

But not me. In my view the most pressing issue – and the one that as a country and a society that we should be most ashamed of – is the extent of poverty in this, the world’s fifth richest economy.

When the Tories introduced their austerity agenda in 2010 it was with the mantra – “We are all in this together.”

Right from the start those of us on the political left and the trade unions knew that would never be the case. We knew that those who would be most affected would be the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. We knew that the rich would be fine. And very soon it became apparent that not only would the rich easily weather the storm, they would amass to themselves even greater wealth. 

Inequality in the UK has grown massively since the financial crash. Research by the Equalities Trust shows that the 1,000 richest people in the UK now have total wealth of £724bn, which is an increase of £274bn in the past five years and an increase of £66bn in the past year alone. As the trade unions predicted, the rich have done very well indeed. The poor have paid the price of the bankers’ profligacy. 

Colin Clark MP's reply to my concerns on the detention and treatment of Palestinian minors

I have twice now written to my MP, Colin Clark, who is a member of the Conservative Party  about issues relating to Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people and both times I have been very unhappy with his response. In fact I was so appalled by his response to my letter on Palestinian child prisoners that I wrote back to him about it.

It seems unlikely that he will take up any of the issues which I raise with him in relation to the terrible situation in Palestine or the oppression of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government, in breach of human rights.  So I am going to post his responses on this blog. Please read on.

Time to tell Israel enough is enough - Support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

Here is my speech for the protest in Aberdeen on 7th April to condemn the shootings of unarmend Palestinians by the Israeli Defence Forces. 

That very day the news broke about the killing of photo journalist Yusef Murtaja despite wearing a PRESS vest. Yet our government still sells arms to Israel and refuses to condemn this outrage.

"So here we are again 

Gathered together in Aberdeen to condemn once again the horrific actions of the Israeli government against the people of Palestine

And sending a message of support and solidarity to the people of Gaza

Here’s what you need to know about the shooting of unarmed Palestinians protesting in Gaza

These are not clashes

Clashes are incidents that take place between equals

Clashes are what you see in Parliament, when Jeremy Corbyn takes on Theresa May or the SNP and Labour disagree on levels of taxation

What we are seeing in Gaza just now is a massacre – pure and simple

Soldiers armed with live ammunition are shooting unarmed Palestinians

And let’s make no mistake 

Most are engaged in peaceful protest – you can see that from the video footage on social media

But it doesn’t actually matter if some of those Palestinians are throwing stones or bits of burning rubber
 

Shooting and killing is a complete over-reaction

It is a tactic designed to terrorise

To put down and control an entire population to make them feel powerless

Men, women and children – trying to tell the world what is going on in Gaza

Killed and maimed by live ammunition

It’s terrorising and it’s terrorism – pure and simple

We must use our collective power to end gender inequality and the abuse and exploitation of women

Here is my speech for the International Women's Day Rally in Aberdeen, organised by the Aberdeen Trades Union Council in our 150th year and compered by ATUC Vice President and Aberdeenshire UNISON Equalities Officer, Kathleen Kennedy.

It was a very cold evening but it was great to see women and men standing together to call for gender equality and an end to all forms of discrimination against women.

Especially good to see my son Euan there to support the struggle!

"Kate Ramsden, bringing greetings from UNISON on International Women’s Day.

And very proud to be speaking here at this Aberdeen Rally to celebrate the achievements of the women’s movement over the past 100 and more years and to gird our loins for the battles yet to be fought.

We’ve heard a great deal about inspirational women and there have been many throughout history – In fact some of them are here today.

But despite the best efforts of those women and the women’s movement I think we all know that gender inequality is alive and well.

Many of the challenges that I was facing and fighting as a young trade unionist and Labour activist are the challenges that face us still

Some things have got better – but much has stayed the same or got worse.

The problem is that we still live in a society dominated by male power and male privilege.

The exploitation and abuse of women is one example of a power imbalance that has never really gone away over the years.

Educate, agitate and organise - it has never been more important

For those who would like to read it, here is my speech for the St Andrew's Day Rally in Aberdeen.It looks at the challenges which face our society and the forces for equality and social justice and supports the call to educate, agitate and organise. These are difficult times but we are beginning to see changes - people waking up to the effect on ordinary folk of this Tory government, supported by a right wing media, for the benefit of the richest.

Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair of Aberdeenshire UNISON, and NEC member, proud to be speaking here today and bringing you greetings and solidarity from UNISON.

Educate, agitate and organise. That’s the focus for today’s St Andrew’s Day marches and rallies across Scotland.

And it has never been more important. 

We live in a society where we are encouraged to be passive. Where politics has become a spectator sport and many people don’t feel connected to our elected members or our governments. Where trade union membership is in decline. Where the whole notion of society has been undermined and we are encouraged to look out for number one.

These are dangerous times.

The divide and rule tactics of this Tory government have set worker against worker, have demonised the poorest, the elderly, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

They have cut the NHS, public services and social security so precious to our parent’s and grandparent’s generation; they have normalised a reliance on foodbanks in the 21^st century in the 5^th richest country in the world and they have created an environment in this post Brexit era where racism and fascism doesn’t only exist, it flourishes. Where the insidious messages of the Tory grandees and the right wing media have resulted in a huge rise in race violence across the UK.

Reconnecting people with their values and their democracy

This is my speech for today's May Day March and Rally in Aberdeen. Written in the wake of yesterday's council election results it looks at the challenges facing our movement in our fight to have a better society for all, as the General Election approaches.

"We live in strange times.

We’ve had 7 years of a Tory government who have hammered ordinary folk

Poverty pay

Rises in insecure labour and zero hours contracts

Wages cap and vastly increasing inequality between the rich and the rest of us

Hideous caps on benefits and a benefits system described by Ken Loach at the STUC as “conscious cruelty” - “a campaign of systematic punishment” which leaves more and more of our children, disabled people and elderly in poverty and distress

Our young people hit particularly hard 

Cuts to the NHS and public services and a massive selling off of the NHS – our NHS (especially in England and Wales)  – to private companies running for profit not patient care.

Corbyn - a new kind of politics and a different kind of leadership

So here’s the thing that I am really struggling with. What exactly is wrong with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party? I hear it time and time again but I have yet to hear anyone explain what it is that he should be doing that he isn’t or shouldn’t be doing that he is?

What is it that the majority of the PLP have found so lacking in Corbyn’s leadership that they would resign en masse in a co-ordinated strategy designed to undermine him in the most humiliating and public way possible?

Is he without a vision of what he wants Labour to achieve? Well that can’t be right. No one who has heard Corbyn speak can be in any doubt about where his priorities lie and what he will offer if elected to government. He has made it very clear that he wants to end austerity, and create a society where there is less inequality, decent paid jobs, good public services, an NHS providing health care at the point of need to all, where children do not have to grow up in poverty, where disabled people and older people can live lives of dignity.