During a time of crisis, where the world is reeling from disaster and pain, it is important to see the good. For the past month protests across London have shown the solidarity between the British and Palestinian people. This photo essay represents the aftermath of this weekends protests and marches, showing how quickly normal day to day life resumes.
It was a strange feeling looking at photos from the past few weekends, then being in Westminster where it seemed like nothing had happened. Almost everything from the rally only 12 hours before, was gone. It was eerie but equally showed how quickly the world can move on from something so poignant.
Walking along the Thames and down Whitehall, I saw a lot of people taking photos of The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and later the Cenotaph. It reminded me how many tourists would have been in London over the last weekends, possibly being caught up in the protests.
Between photos, I spoke to an American tourist called Owen. He had been visiting London and the UK since the previous weekend, which meant he had seen the Remembrance services and the marches around the city. I asked him how he felt about the protesters and if it had affected his trip at all, he responded, “I have heard…I think it’s very powerful.” He explained that he had seen some Palestine protesters around London when he visited Buckingham Palace and called them “brave” for protesting during this time.
Around Westminster, on the bridges, on lamp posts and underground stations there were lots of Free Palestine stickers. They were the few left over memento’s from any rally’s and protests, a small act of ‘defiance’ which represented a collective movement that spanned across oceans. For some, they could blend into the collection of stickers that adorned the lamp posts but to those who knew, they meant everything.
This photo was specifically powerful as it shows children who have been killed in Gaza by airstrikes. The poster was on a bus stop and I didn’t witness anyone react towards it. This photo shows British children next to a Palestinian children, showing a sad juxtaposition between the current situation in Gaza and London.
I, like many, stopped to take a photograph of the cenotaph which was decorated with hundreds of poppy wreaths. They were placed this weekend by veterans, soldiers, charity workers and members of the Royal Family. For Brits and tourists alike, it was something which made them stop and either take photos or pay some respects. This was interesting to witness, just as people walked past posters of children in Gaza who had been killed, they stopped to take photos of this monument. Both the Cenotaph and the Ceasefire posters representing the same message- peace and armistice.