[Ppnews] Students occupy BBC for Palestinian Prisoners on hunger strike!

[Political Prisoner News]

Students occupy BBC for Palestinian Prisoners on hunger strike!

By weareallhanashalabi / April 17, 2012
http://weareallhanashalabi.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/students-occupy-bbc-for-palestinian-prisoners-on-hunger-strike/

Press Release – For Immediate Release


Over 40 protesters have occupied the Headquarters 
of BBC Scotland in Glasgow, demanding mainstream 
media coverage for the 2,400 Palestinian 
prisoners who began hunger strikes today.  These 
actions mark a development from the ongoing 
hunger strikes which have been taking place since 
December. Currently, the individuals who have 
been on hunger strike longest are Thae’r Halahi 
and Bilal Diab, both of whom are currently on 
their 50th day without food. This protest is 
organised to challenge the BBC’s continued 
silence around this recent escalation of 
Palestinian resistance – it’s refusal to report 
any of the actions that have lead to this 
decision by 2,400 Palestinians calls into question it’s impartiality.

The demonstrators entered the building before 
midday and are currently holding the main lobby, 
chanting “BBC Shame on you, put the prisoners on 
the news” and “Hunger Strikers will not bow, free the political prisoners now”.

A demonstration has been called in Glasgow for 
Palestinian Prisoners Day, which will rally at 
George Square at 6pm before marching to the BBC 
offices in Glasgow.  The demonstration will call 
upon the UK media to acknowledge the Karamah 
strike and the plight of Palestinian 
prisoners.  During the hungers strikes taken by 
Khader Adnan and Hana Shalabi, the BBC refrained 
to comment amidst international concern for those 
on hunger strike, choosing only to publish 
stories after both prisoners had been offered 
deals from Israel for their release.

The actions today take place two days after 
thousands of international activists attempted to 
fly into Ben Gurion airport demanding the right 
to travel to the West Bank on invitation of the 
Mayor of Bethlehem. There are currently around 50 
activists being held in detention, including four 
Scottish nationals, who are refusing food and 
water in solidarity with the Karamah Hunger Strike.

The demonstrations around the issue of the hunger 
strikers are being organised by student Palestine 
societies in Scotland, with the support of 
various organisations, uniting under the banner of ‘We Are All Hana Shalabi’.

On Saturday 24th March, over 500 people marched 
from George Square to the BBC Scotland HQ in 
Glasgow (link for pictures below) demanding that 
they cover stories about Palestinian prisoners on 
hunger strike.  Today, demonstrations have been 
called across Scotland in Aberdeen, Dundee, 
Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Many of those marching 
have been participating in a global hunger strike from 7am to 7pm.

One of the occupiers said, “The Karamah Hunger 
Strike represents a potentially significant 
moment in the history of the Palestinian 
struggle. The fact that 2400 Palestinian 
prisoners are on hunger strike against the 
apartheid policies of the Israeli occupation 
shows the desire of Palestinians to have their 
freedom from prison, and freedom from occupation. 
The BBC is complicit through their silence of the 
ongoing situation in Palestine, and we are 
occupying today to highlight that the magnitude 
of this issue and this injustice demands that the media cover it.”

**UPDATES**:

14:52   Senior BBC official agrees with meeting 
with activists over their poor coverage of the 
hunger strikes. Protesters have left, meeting just broke-up.

15:23   Official denies being influenced by BBC 
in London or UK foreign policy, claims they serve 
a ‘certain demographic’ admits there could have 
been coverage of Scottish solidarity actions.
Photos from the demonstration:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76452104@N05/



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