(and the birth of SGS - STOP GAZA SLAUGHTER)

By Yvonne Ridley

December 28, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- THE murderous military campaign which has been unleashed by Israel has provoked people across the world to demonstrate, rally and protest in their hundreds of thousands.

Soon the movement will turn into millions as more ordinary, decent citizens of the world show their disgust at the barbarism of Israel ... and the cowardly silence of our own leaders.

This is no longer a political issue, or a Middle East issue. It is a case of what is right and what is wrong, and what is decent and what is inhumane.

And ordinary people are now taking the initiative because they can no longer rely on their political leaders to show any of the human qualities demanded of them including strength, integrity or compassion.

British people, normally reserved and controlled, brought anarchy to the streets of upscale Kensington yesterday as they stormed barracades and pushed past police to head towards the Israeli Embassy in London.

There was more anarchy in Scotland as our friends over the Border vented their spleen over the war crimes and massacre carried out by Israel.

And unless British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gets some lead in his pencil, the anarchy will continue.

I am normally a law-abiding citizen, but the anger and shame I felt drove me to join those who tore down the barriers on Saturday.

Gordon Brown is the very man who lectured us about what it is to be British. Well let me turn the tables on this pathetic, self-serving man who does not deserve to lead our country.

Being British is about fair play, justice and humanity ... standing up for the underdog in the face of bullies.

Brown, like other leaders around the world, simply looked the other way as the Israeli military jackbooted its way through the blood dripped gutters once trawled by the Nazis to kill, massacre and maim.

In the final days of December 2008 Gordon Brown will be remembered for acting like one of the silent cowards who hangs uncomfortably on the edge of the schoolyard as the bully kicks and thumps the little, weak child.

And that feckless fool David Milliband is no better. While Brown told journalists he was “deeply concerned” over Israeli actions, the British Foreign secretary urged Israel to abide by its “humanitarian obligations”.

And it was their weasly words which was directly responsible for the lawlessness which erupted in the streets of London on Saturday, and I’ll tell you why.

I was outraged and ashamed by the weakness shown by Milliband and Brown and called my good friend Ghada Razuki. We have both been to Palestine and we have both been to Gaza and we were both repelled by the pathetic reaction of our government.

So we decided to launch SGS - Stop Gaza Slaughter - and call for a rally. We began hitting the phones. Many organised groups were already planning a demonstration for the Sunday and they urged us to wait.

One told me: “You do not have police permission”. Almost choking with rage, I responded: “Permission? Permission to demonstrate and march and exercise my democratic right to protest? This is Britain! And did Israel ask anyone for permission to bomb Gaza?”

But Ghada did call the police and inform them that we were planning a demo - in truth I thought around 30 of us might turn up to respond, but it seems that we were not the only ones who were outraged by the silence of Messrs Brown and Co.

“I thought you said only 30 were going to turn up, there must be 3,000 here now,” said one police officer. I just shrugged my shoulders and said I had no idea a few text messages, FaceBook and a blog could have resulted in such a turnout.

In truth I am sure many who arrived in Kensington on Saturday would have come anyway. But what happened was pure ‘people power’ and this is what happens when you have a leader who commands little or no respect.

When the people lead, the leaders will follow and I think in the next few days Brown’s advisers will tell him that what the British people want is a real man who will stand up to the bullies.

And if he doesn’t there will be more anarchy and it will get worse. This is neither a threat nor a promise - just a prediction.

If Brown wants to survive politically, he will have20to join us when we demonstrate on Saturday, January 3 - opposite the British Parliament. He needs to show us he is really man enough to lead this country.

And on the subject of Saturday’s demonstration - police permission is apparently being sought. I have some advice for the Metropolitan Police: “Do not try and stop the democratic right of every person in Britain to demonstrate.”

I am going to be there - with or without police permission. And if they want to arrest me and lock me up then so be it.

Has it now become a crime to demonstrates against war crimes? Crimes against humanity are being carried out by Israel and I refuse to be silent.