Photo by Pat Gaffney
Two Christian protesters were arrested at Downing Street in London on December 29 after pouring fake blood, putting bloody handprints on the gates and reading the names of dead children killed by Israel and Hamas.
Virginia Moffat (58) and Chris Cole (60) from Dorset said that the government had “blood on its hands” after refusing to demand Israel end its bombing of Gaza, calling it “a massacre of biblical proportions”. Moffat said, “We did it because we can’t bear what we are watching day in day out. We did it because our government is complicit by continuing to arm Israel and refusing to back a ceasefire… We did it because every life is precious, Israeli and Palestinian. And because this violence has to end.”
They were held for eight hours before being released on bail, with conditions to not carry paint in public and to stay outside of the M25 (London orbital road). They are scheduled to appear in court the following week.
In a statement distributed at the protest the married couple said:
“Britain’s and Israel’s justification for this slaughter is that Israel is acting in ‘self-defence’. That the deaths of innocents are to be regretted, but Israel must be allowed to act in its own defence. This is nonsense. Again and again, leading international lawyers have clearly stated that ‘self-defence’ cannot justify the slaughter of so-many innocent Palestinians.
We cannot help being reminded of the Massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:13-18) in the Christian Gospels. King Herod, seeking to secure power, ordered the deaths of all the infants in and around Bethlehem. For many years, this occasion has been chosen by Christians involved in work for peace and justice to draw attention to the suffering and deaths of innocent people as a result of war and injustice.
As bombs rain down on Gaza, destroying homes, hospitals, families, schools, cultural centres, mosques, churches and civic buildings, we cannot help but act. By refusing to back a ceasefire, and continuing to supply arms to Israel, our government is complicit with this slaughter.”
ACTION STATEMENT
War Massacres Innocents – Ceasefire Now!
Christmas is the season that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Palestine. It is a time of family, hope and joy, as we welcome the arrival of the Prince of Peace into the world.
But this Christmas, Bethlehem and the whole of Palestine is neither hopeful nor at peace. In fact, Christmas has literally been cancelled in Bethlehem due to the ongoing slaughter of innocents by Israel.
We, along with the world, watched in horror on October 7 when Hamas militants broke through the separation wall, murdered civilians, including children, and took hostages. Since then, we have watched with horror as Israel has relentlessly bombed Gaza and the West Bank, killing over 20,000 civilians, including 8,000 children.
Israel’s justification for this slaughter, echoed repeatedly by our own government is that Israel is acting in ‘self-defence’. That the deaths of innocents are to be regretted, but Israel must be allowed to act in its own defence. This is nonsense. Again and again, leading international lawyers have clearly stated that ‘self-defence’ cannot justify the slaughter of so-many innocent Palestinians. You do not have to be an international law scholar to recognize this, however, merely human.
We cannot help being reminded of the Massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:13-18) in the Christian Gospels. King Herod, seeking to secure power, ordered the deaths of all the infants in and around Bethlehem. For many years, this time of year has been chosen by Christians involved in work for peace and social justice to draw attention to the suffering and deaths of innocent people as a result of war and injustice.
As bombs rain down on Gaza, destroying homes, hospitals, families, schools, cultural centres, mosques, churches and civic buildings, we cannot help but act. By refusing to back a ceasefire, and continuing to supply arms to Israel, our government is complicit with this slaughter.
Today, we have come to Downing Street to tell the government it has blood on its hands.
Stop the Slaughter of Innocents! Release the Hostages! Ceasefire now!
Virginia Moffatt, Chris Cole, Dec. 2023
