Weekly Silent Vigil for Gaza in Seaton, on Saturdays at 11
Some of the 60 people who attended this week’s vigil for Gaza in Exeter
We have watched with horror as Israel has destroyed Gaza for almost two and a half years. Despite a so-called ‘ceasefire’, Israel is still killing civilians, blocking the entry of food and humanitarian aid, and dismantling established international aid operations.
Nearly two million survivors are still living amidst the ruins and in tents despite terrible winter rain. Our government has supported Israel and is doing nothing meaningful to stop this.
So some of us have got together and decided to start a weekly silent vigil for Gaza in Seaton. We will stand in a line for 30 minutes each Saturday at 11 am, at Thury Harcourt Place near the roundabout, STARTING next Saturday 7th MARCH.
Please join us on that day or whenever you can. We will have a banner and placards. Since it’s a silent vigil, we will not be canvassing the public so there’s no reason to worry about having to persuade people.
We know, from the contact that some of us have with people in Gaza, that it means a lot to them to know that people around the world care.
If you’d like to be informed of any changes to the schedule or other activities, we’re setting up a WhatsApp group and you can join this by sending me your mobile number.
A hundred people at Exeter meeting on Gaza genocide
Exactly one hundred people attended the public meeting last Wednesday at which I spoke on Gaza, Palestine and Genocide.
Rebecca Michel of Devon Jewish Palestine Solidarity Group also addressed the meeting. A hearbreaking message from a Palestinian PhD student in Exeter was read out, describing how her husband had been hospitalised in Gaza because of the cold and wet and his tent being blown away.
Richard Foord raises Seaton Hospital with new NHS CEO
Richard Foord has written to NHS Devon’s new acting chief executive seeking assurances over the future of community hospitals in East Devon and warning against further cuts to local services.
In a letter dated February 25 to Libby Ryan-Davies, who took up the post on February 1, Richard asked for confirmation that community hospitals in Axminster, Ottery St Mary, Honiton, Sidmouth and Seaton were “safe”.
Richard said he remained “a strong advocate for local health services”, describing the provision of care in market towns as “the very essence of neighbourhood healthcare”. He also raised concerns about high rental costs charged by NHS Property Services (NHSPS) for buildings, whihc is a core reason why a wing in Seaton remains vacant.
The Seaton Hospital Steering Committee, elected at the big public meeting in November 2023, is continuing to monitor the situation. With Richard’s backing, we recently made a submission to the House of Commons’ Health Select Committee’s inquiry into the government’s proposed neighbourhood health hubs.
Libby Ryan-Davies is Devon NHS’s third CEO since we launched the new campaign for Seaton Hospital. The rapid turnover of NHS officials is an extra reason why it is difficult to keep them focused on the issues.
I’m speaking on Gaza in Exeter
Some readers will know that in my academic work, I specialise in genocide. I’m giving this talk to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in Exeter. A speaker from the Devon Jewish Palestinian Solidarity Group will also be talking. I hope to see you there!
The New Age of Genocide is my new book which includes Gaza:
https://www.agendapub.com/page/detail/the-new-age-of-genocide/?k=9781788218726
Anti-racists outnumber far right 14:1 in Exeter
Six of us from Seaton joined the Exeter is for Everyone protest yesterday, against the attempt by far-right extremists to take over the streets of Exeter. In the event only about 60 far right turned up, against 850 in the counterprotest organised by Stand Up to Racism Exeter, according to the Exeter Observer.
Extremists are still trying to harass the asylum seekers who are in the hotel at Exeter Airport, but their numbers are dwindling.
It will be interesting to see how the reaction to Donald Trump’s global bullying affects the support for Nigel Farage’s Trump UK party, who were soundly beaten in the recent Seaton by-election.
Fantastic win for Steve Hunt
Steve Hunt, the Liberal Democrat candidate in yesterday’s Seaton by-election, easily beat the anti-immigrant Reform and Conservative candidates.
Conservative 400
Reform 565
🔶 LD 789
Independent 156
Reform = racism + council chaos
‘Eliminate council waste’? Every council where Reform has taken control has descended into chaos, threatening local services, Nigel ‘Gas them all’ Farage has zero interest in Seaton or East Devon.
It is depressing that the local Tories have also selected a candidate who is chasing the anti-immigrant vote. I’ve had my differences with Marcus Hartnell, but he campaigned on local issues, not racist dog whistles.
These two far-right candidates must be stopped. We don’t want this country to go down the Donald Trump path to cruelty and dictatorship.
Vote for Stephen Hunt, the Liberal Democrat, on Thursday.
Over 100 people at Gaza event in Ottery
Over 100 people heard Amal Ghusain (right) speak at a Palestine solidarity event in Ottery St Mary last night. Despite my not very good photo, this was an inspiring event, with lots of discussion, films and music, and a shared determination to keep the focus on the appalling situation in Gaza, where the genocide has not ended.
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Devon NHS trusts plan to run our records on US spy-tech firm’s software
The Good Law Project says the Royal Devon and other local NHS trusts are part of this:
NHS England is rolling out software to run our health records from Palantir – a US spy-tech firm that has supported mass deportation in the US and enabled genocide in Gaza.
One of Palantir’s founders is also openly against the NHS. Peter Thiel claimed it “makes people sick” and said that the British people love the NHS because we’re suffering from Stockholm syndrome.
We can’t let a company like this take control of our healthcare system.
But we can fight back right now. We’ve set up a simple tool so you can find out if your local NHS trust has started using the software, and then send an email demanding they say no to Palantir.
With the government putting NHS trusts under pressure to adopt the software, we need to act right now. If you want to keep Palantir out of our NHS, send an email to your local trust and Wes Streeting, secretary of state for health.
Information here: https://notopalantir.goodlawproject.org/email-to-target/stop-palantir-in-the-nhs/
Seaton & Colyton MATTERS 