We demand a ceasefire NOW! Stop the genocide. We want our local MPs to speak up and represent us. Bring your flags and voices! Let’s make them bigger & louder! London’s march yesterday was incredibly multicultural & diverse, we would love to see more diversity in Reading too!
Sunday 19th November 2023 at 1:30pm in front of M&S on Broad Street, Reading. Please spread the word to all your friends, family, and neighbours! And then EVERY SUNDAY thereafter until we are being heard and the UK takes necessary actions.
We demand a ceasefire NOW! Stop the genocide. We want our local MPs to speak up and represent us. Bring your flags and voices! Let’s make them bigger & louder! London’s march yesterday was incredibly multicultural & diverse, we would love to see more diversity in Reading too!
Sunday 12th November 2023 at 1:30pm in front of M&S on Broad Street, Reading. Please spread the word to all your friends, family, and neighbours! And then EVERY SUNDAY thereafter until we are being heard and the UK takes necessary actions.
When: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm on 11/11/2023 Start: Hyde Park, London End: US Embassy, Vauxhall, London
The route is a 2.8 miles long march, starting from the east side of Park Lane, marching across Vauxhall Bridge to the US Embassy on Nine Elms Lane. It’s normally a 1 hour walk, so we expect this march to take 2-3 hours with the large crowd. The last march had 500,000 people, and the expectation is to have 1,000,000 people marching this Saturday.
Organised by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
The bus journey from TVP to Hyde park is 39 miles (and the march is 3 miles), so unless you’re joining us from further away, you would not be classed as a traveller (over 48 miles) for the purpose of shortening your prayers.
Tickets are £5 each (thanks to a brother for covering the cost of our first 2 coaches, and then many others who have been in touch to contribute further, may Allah reward everyone in abundance, ameen!), and MUST be pre-booked and pre-paid. You will need your QR code to board the coach. You do not need to print it out, but make sure your phone is charged up!
Outbound coach
When: 9am, Sat 11 Nov 2023
Where: Thames Valley Park & Ride Thames Valley Park Drive Earley Reading RG6 1PT
If you’re parking up at TVP&R please note the slip road from Cemetery Junction is currently closed. You will need to go towards Winnersh, exit, go towards the Showcase roundabout and come back. It’s quite a detour, please be prepared.
We’re expecting our destination, Hyde Park in London, to be quite busy, so leaving at 9am should allow us plenty of time to get there in time and in the right area.
Returning from the EMCA allows people to pray Maghrib there at 4:20pm. There should be space for both brothers and sisters. It’s roughly a 10 minutes walk from the US Embassy, where the march route ends.
Important
Please be at the location at least 15 minutes before departure both outbound and inbound, so that we can leave on time!
☝️ We’ll send a location pin drop map in the WhatsApp group, so please make sure you join!
Try to not engage with any pro-Israel supporters or hecklers, keep yourself and families safe & look after one another
Asr start time will be 1:56pm (1st Mithl) / 2:33pm (2nd Mithl – Hanafi)
Maghrib start time will be 4:20pm
You will have difficulty getting a phone/data signal on the day because of the overloading of networks due to the large crowds, so please do keep trying, and remember that when your phone signal is weak, your phone will try to boost power usage to get signal, so it will drain more battery
It’s worth bringing cash and coins for any food/public toilet usage – remember that most shops will be hard to access due to large crowds, so they will close off their toilets. You may have to walk a bit away from the marching route to be able to find suitable places.
We don’t expect to have coaches with toilets, so please make sure you’re feeling fresh before boarding the coach
What to bring with you
Palestine flags, placards, clothes
Backpack, rucksack
Warm clothing, ideally layers, gloves, scarf
Check the weather forecast on Saturday morning
It is not currently expected to rain, but if it does, then waterproof poncho & umbrella
You will have difficulty getting a phone/data signal on the day because of the overloading of networks due to the large crowds, so please do keep trying. You may have to leave the more crowded areas to get a better signal.
Reading, UK, 31 October 2023 — Continuing with Reading’s proud history of protest for justice, Reading Muslim organised a powerful Emergency Rally For Palestine, held on Sunday 29th October 2023, through Reading’s town centre on Broad Street. The event, held on a weekly basis going forward, was attended by over 300 people with diverse backgrounds, both Muslims and non-Muslims. It draws attention to the urgent need for humanitarian action and calls for our local MPs and councillors to demand the UK to take a stand against war crimes and injustices.
At the time of publishing, 10,053 people have been killed, of which 3,542 are children, and 28,459 people are estimated to be injured or trapped under rubble, of which 6,360 are children.
The figures have been reported by the Palestinian health ministry, Palestine Red Crescent Society and Israeli Medical Services.
The weekly Palestine Rally serves as a testament to the resilience and unity of Reading’s community. As an ongoing event, it creates a platform for individuals from diverse backgrounds to come together, express their unwavering support for the Palestinian people, and stand up against war crimes. This is intended as a public expression of solidarity, fostering unity and collective action, and rejecting the UK government’s unfettered support for Israel, whatever the cost. UK citizens are loudly and clearly communicating that this cost is egregious, inhumane, and bordering on the territory of genocide.
‘Never again’ should mean exactly that. Never again.
Previous Event Highlights:
Date: Sunday 29th October 2023 Time: 12pm Location: Broad Street, Reading Admission: Free and open to the public
Upcoming Events Highlights:
Date: Sunday 5th November 2023, and every Sunday thereafter Time: 1:30pm Location: Broad Street, Reading Admission: Free and open to the public
At each weekly rally, attendees have the opportunity to participate in peaceful demonstrations, listen to inspiring speakers, and engage in activities aimed at deepening their understanding of the Palestinian cause. These gatherings provide an ongoing platform for Reading’s community to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and demand justice.
Imtiaz Chowdhury, Chairman of Reading Muslim, emphasised the importance of the weekly rallies, stating, “The weekly Palestine Rally symbolises our unwavering commitment to justice, peace, and humanity. We, as a community, are determined to make our voices heard and to demand humanitarian action. Our actions are not just in line with the teachings of the Quran, which call for Muslims to stand up for justice, but also our duty as concerned citizens of the world.”
“O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.”
[Quran, 4:135]
Reading Muslim’s weekly rallies also provide valuable opportunities to educate the community about the faith of Islam and how it can be a unifying force, bringing people together for a common cause. It is a testament to the power of community and how, together, individuals can create change and raise awareness about pressing global issues.
The organisation encourages all members of the community to join these weekly rallies, learn more about the situation in Palestine, and work together to foster positive change. Reading Muslim looks forward to the involvement of local MPs and councillors in demanding humanitarian actions and standing up for justice.
For additional information about the weekly Palestine Rally and future initiatives, please visit https://readingmuslim.uk or contact [email protected].
About Reading Muslim:
Reading Muslim is a Reading-based community organisation dedicated to promoting dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among the diverse Muslim population in the Reading area. They engage in various social, educational, and charitable activities to contribute positively to the local community. Registered charity number 1061208 in England & Wales.
We demand a ceasefire NOW! Stop the genocide. We want our local MPs to speak up and represent us. Bring your flags and voices! Let’s make them bigger & louder!
Sunday 5th November 2023 at 1:30pm in front of M&S on Broad Street, Reading. Please spread the word to all your friends, family, and neighbours! And then EVERY SUNDAY thereafter until we are being heard and the UK takes necessary actions.
