Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee Statement – in response to STV article published 22/7/2025

Read the STV article here

The Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (GGEC) Edinburgh is disappointed yet again by the unprofessional and sinister behaviour of Edinburgh Council, Police Scotland and partners, who we liaise with in good faith when organising demonstrations, and their attempts to turn public opinion against the thousands of Scottish people who oppose the genocide and forced starvation in Gaza and to force negotiations in their favour by speaking to the press. The last time this happened we did receive a letter of apology, and we expect the same this time.

We refer to an article in STV News published yesterday, which falsely states that organisers had no concern for public safety. The article reports that Liberal Democrat councillor Jack Caldwell favoured sanctions against GGEC Edinburgh for requesting additional time to reconsider demonstrations in August, following feedback from the Council. Have the Scottish Liberal Democrats called for sanctions on Israel for committing war crimes? The answer is no. Nor have Edinburgh City Councillors ensured that their contracts and pension fund have no links with Israel's genocide and war crimes.

GGEC Edinburgh has discussed and negotiated with the Council and Police Scotland to ensure public safety on marches, which is ultimately the responsibility of Police Scotland. At the start of the march on Saturday 19 July, Police Scotland officers confirmed with the GGEC Edinburgh lead steward that power to the tram lines would be turned off for safety reasons. Police Scotland officers in charge failed to communicate this plan to their officers on the day because at Queen Elizabeth House, the UK Government HQ in Scotland, officers told another GGEC Edinburgh head steward that flags had to be lowered to avoid cutting off power to the tram lines; GGEC Edinburgh stewards then proceeded to ensure anyone who held a high banner post or flagpole lowered it at the appropriate junction. Throughout the march, the lead GGEC Edinburgh steward was in contact with a police liaison officer. At the end of the march, no issues were raised regarding tram lines and safety.

We now learn that Police Scotland has misrepresented our arrangements and communications before and during the march. Perhaps they misremembered our agreement to move the point of assembly to Parliament Square due to public safety concerns, as Police Scotland and Edinburgh Council were not even aware that the foot of the Mound, another public space commercialised by our Council, was unavailable because a bar area had been installed.

Their behaviour and responses are disappointing, although perhaps not surprising, given the actions of Police Scotland in harassing and arresting protestors over the last 22 months of the genocide, implementing the growing government repression of the movement to stop Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. We also note that on the demonstration on Saturday 19 July, there was a distinct lack of policing for public safety; instead, more emphasis was placed on policing free speech. Police Scotland officers spent time approaching members of the public to check their stickers, placards and t-shirts, threatening arrest, and have since charged several people under anti-terror legislation.

We are facing unprecedented times when Israel is carrying out a genocide and forced starvation of Palestinians, aided and protected by our governments, while those of us who are living up to the promise of ‘Never Again’, to do what we can to stop an ongoing genocide, are harassed and criminalised.

The urgency for us to act is even more intense today. The Report of Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, in her recent report ‘From economy of occupation to economy of genocide’, urges us all, trade unions, lawyers, civil society and ordinary citizens to press for boycotts, divestments, sanctions, justice for Palestine and accountability at international and domestic levels to stop the unspeakable crimes against the Palestinian people.

Instead of living up to their responsibilities to end a genocide, Edinburgh City Council and Police Scotland are making allegations and smears while discussing how to sanction GGEC Edinburgh for not attending a meeting (for which apologies were given) and raising the possibility of a ‘non-banners march’. It’s a disgrace that Edinburgh constituents, and history, will not forget.

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