Silent Remembrance Peace Vigil – Trafalgar Sq., Sat 11 Nov 2017
I got here up the steps from the Underground into Trafalgar Sq. simply because the clocks struck 11am on Saturday eleventh of November 2017, precisely 99 years to the minute after the top of combating following the signing earlier within the morning of the Armistice in a railway carriage within the Forest of Compiègne. Although really an hour late, because it was 11.00 am Paris time, an hour forward of GMT.
A revolt by sailors within the German Navy, starting in Wilhelmshaven on 29-Thirtieth October 2018 had lead widespread actions throughout Germany with the proclamation of a Republic which compelled the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm and made the top of the warfare inevitable – it had largely been a household quarrel between the ruling royals.
As I got here up into the sq. a whistle marked the beginning of the two-minute silence, and no less than one bus swerved to the aspect of the highway and stopped, although a lot of the visitors continued round it. A number of folks within the sq. stood to consideration, however lots of the vacationers continued as regular. And I stood for just a few seconds then stored on strolling to {photograph} a small group of Quakers on the North Terrace carrying white poppies and starting a forty five minute silent remembrance peace vigil exterior the Nationwide Gallery.
White poppies had been first made in 1933 by the Co-operative Girls’s Guild to carry on to the important thing message of remembrance, ‘by no means once more’. The First World Struggle, recognized on the time as The Nice Struggle, had been known as “the warfare to finish all wars” however by 1933 many had been starting to assume that one other world warfare was coming.
The white poppy remembers all victims or warfare, each civilians and navy, and of all nationalities and has change into extra vital as our official armistice occasions have over the previous years change into an increasing number of militaristic celebrations. Gross sales of white poppies have elevated vastly in recent times, with demand outstripping provide.
The white poppy challenges warfare and militarism and any try to glorify or have fun warfare, and reveals a committment to peace and nonviolent options to battle. This 12 months author and poet Benjamin Zephaniah seems in a preferred https://youtu.be/jtjCGCxT_PU video the place he explains why he wears a white poppy and urges others to do the identical to recollect all victims of warfare and to work in the direction of a world the place there isn’t a warfare.
Silent Remembrance Peace Vigil
Shut Canada Goose for animal cruelty – Regent St, Sat 11 Nov 2017
A number of hundred campaigners marched from a close-by sq. to protest exterior the newly opened flagship Regent Avenue Canada Goose retailer the place the protest continued for a lot of the day. Police struggled to clear a path by way of the protesters for patrons to enter and go away.
Canada Goose was promoting coats with fur trims utilizing trapped wild coyotes, which can endure for days in merciless traps, going through blood loss, dehydration, frostbite, gangrene and assaults by predators, some even making an attempt to chew off their very own trapped limbs to flee earlier than a trapper returns to strangle, stamp or bludgeon them to dying.
The down of their jackets is from geese and geese which have their throats slit and are dumped into scalding scorching water for feather removing whereas typically nonetheless alive and feeling ache to make the down-filled jackets.
The London protests adopted years of protests in New York and Toronto and continued weekly and at occasions extra steadily. The store gained an interim injunction limiting the actions exterior the Regent St store on the finish of November 2017, however this was discharged in 2019 and their request to make it ultimate refused, with the Excessive Court docket saying the fitting to protest is a vital authorized proper.
In June 2021 Canada Goose introduced it could cease shopping for fur by the top of that 12 months and not make merchandise utilizing actual fur no later than the top of 2022. The protests backed by Peta for 15 years had finally led to success, though the corporate denied that that they had any half in its determination. The marketing campaign to cease them utilizing geese and duck feathers continues.
Shut Canada Goose for animal cruelty
Keep in mind Refugees on Armistice Day – Whitehall, Sat 11 Nov 2017
Lesbians and Gays Assist the Migrants hosted a a commemoration ceremony to put a life-ring wreath in reminiscence of the individuals who have died fleeing their war-torn international locations to hunt refuge over the previous 12 months.
The occasion started on the Ministry of Defence. Many really feel that the official celebration of Remembrance Day has steadily change into extra militaristic and a celebration of our victories relatively than remembering the deaths of many in all of the wars that our nation has performed an element in.
Amongst these participating had been numerous refugees in addition to some activists who had supported them within the camps at Calais and on Greek Islands.
After speeches on the steps of the Ministry of Defence folks held up posters with the main points recognized about a number of the migrants who’ve died making an attempt to cross to the UK, however for a lot of the posters learn ‘Title Unknown’ – all we all know is their date of dying.
Then folks processed holding wreaths of orange poppies and burning candles to the Cenotaph the place they laid these to recollect those that died searching for sanctuary. There have been 17 small wreaths, the common quantity of people that have died up to now making an attempt emigrate every day in 2017.
Keep in mind Refugees on Armistice Day
Orange Lodges Remembrance Day parade – Whitehall, Sat 11 Nov 2017
As I used to be on the Cenotaph I heard the sound of a flute band and drums because the London Metropolis District No 63 and the Homes of Parliament Lodge marched up Parliament St with visiting loyalists on their annual Remembrance Day parade in central London.
I photographed them marching and laying wreaths, however didn’t go along with them as they went to put additional wreaths on the Duke of York Column in honour of Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second eldest son of King George III and a Grand Grasp of the Loyal Orange Establishment of England after which to St James’ Sq. for the top of their parade, the place they had been to put a wreath on the memorial to WPC Yvonne Fletcher. Though I had no issues in Whitehall on this event I’ve been attacked at another Orange occasions in London.
Orange Lodges Remembrance Day parade
Tags: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animal fur, anti-fur, Armistice Day, asylum seekers, Calais, Canada Goose, Cenotaph, channel crossings, drowning, Lesbians and Gays Assist the Migrants, London, Orange Lodges, orange poppies, Peace vigil, PETA, peter Marshall, protest, Quakers, bear in mind refugees, remembrance, Remembrance Day parade, Surge, war-torn international locations, white poppies, whitehall, wreaths
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