Torch Song
@lightorchestra.bsky.social
260 followers 380 following 320 posts
Proud member of Palestine Action & Defend Our Juries. Formerly on twitter @themattachines - Société Mattachine. Anti Zionist. Ex Labour. Democratic Socialist. Queer. Antifa. I oppose genocide.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announces new restrictions on the right to protest.

Her target is clear: peaceful Palestine protesters opposing UK complicity in genocide.

Labour know they’re complicit in Israel’s genocide. They can’t defend the indefensible. So they’re trying to crush dissent.
Reposted by Torch Song
mayamedia.bsky.social
Liberalism is merely a continual search for vulnerable groups to throw under the bus in a sad, failing attempt to prop up dying white privilege. “I’m as liberal as they come!” protests the man asking for dead trans people. Yup, that’s the problem, sir.
Reposted by Torch Song
meganotoole.bsky.social
Two years of Gaza genocide: ‘The intensifying campaign of demonisation will grow, as will the crackdown on fundamental and long-cherished rights. Israel has declared war on the Palestinian people. And our leaders are slowly declaring war on us.’
Gaza genocide two years on: The West must be deradicalised so this never happens again
This brutal war on Palestinians has not just unleashed Israel's demons. It has unmasked our own regimes, as they crack down on humanitarian activism
www.middleeasteye.net
lightorchestra.bsky.social
#Labour deputy leadership contender Lucy Powell has told party members that she will not “sugarcoat” how badly the party is doing, promising to challenge Downing Street’s “groupthink” as voting begins.

Ballots open on Wednesday for members and affiliates
lightorchestra.bsky.social
The world has never taken seriously the existential threat Israel poses to Palestine, and this has not materially changed, despite the increase in performative angst.

For 75 years, Palestinians endured the world telling us that Israeli “security concerns” are more important than our rights & lives.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Police are granted powers to legally restrict “repeat protests” which cause “cumulative disruption”, to ban certain protests altogether.

This is aimed at the #Palestine movement. But it will be used against other social movements.

After all, what is a strike if not a disruptive, repeat protest?
Reposted by Torch Song
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Starmer doesn’t need a tragedy to crack down on dissent or suspend civil liberties. The proscription of #PalestineAction is the most high-profile clampdown on our rights.

The alarm bells of authoritarianism are ringing for anyone fearful of an overbearing state.

liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/395...
Zack Polanski: I’m a Jewish Mancunian. Our grief cannot be used to silence protest
The answer to bigotry cannot be to shut down protest
liveapp.inews.co.uk
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Starmer doesn’t need a tragedy to crack down on dissent or suspend civil liberties. The proscription of #PalestineAction is the most high-profile clampdown on our rights.

The alarm bells of authoritarianism are ringing for anyone fearful of an overbearing state.

liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/395...
Zack Polanski: I’m a Jewish Mancunian. Our grief cannot be used to silence protest
The answer to bigotry cannot be to shut down protest
liveapp.inews.co.uk
lightorchestra.bsky.social
The #LiftTheBan peaceful protest in Trafalgar Square this Saturday proved our peacefulness. 488 dignified sign-holders were arrested under the Terrorism Act for simply holding cardboard signs. The number of Lift The Ban arrests has now surpassed 2,000 -a huge embarrassment to the #Labour government.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Pam #Bondi, the #USA attorney general, said “everything is on the table” and left it there. But Donald #Trump threw discretion to the wind and was far more specific about his choice of enemy to go after.

“If you look at #Soros, he’s at the top of everything,” the US president said.

#FreePalestine
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Israeli forces subjected Greta to severe torture and cruelty.

They made her crawl and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag.

In other words, they did exactly what the Nazis once did. They displayed her publicly. And because she is a popular figure, they specifically targeted her.

#FuckIsrael
Reposted by Torch Song
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announces new restrictions on the right to protest.

Her target is clear: peaceful Palestine protesters opposing UK complicity in genocide.

Labour know they’re complicit in Israel’s genocide. They can’t defend the indefensible. So they’re trying to crush dissent.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announces new restrictions on the right to protest.

Her target is clear: peaceful Palestine protesters opposing UK complicity in genocide.

Labour know they’re complicit in Israel’s genocide. They can’t defend the indefensible. So they’re trying to crush dissent.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
In our, unacknowledged & unanswered, letters to Met Commissioner Rowley, we clarify it has always been the choice of the Metropolitan Police whether or not to make arrests at our protests. #AmnestyInternational has advised him that these arrests fall foul of international law & fundamental rights.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.

It’s more important than ever to defend our democracy, including our fundamental rights to peaceful protest and freedom of speech.

We will take a stand tomorrow against killing and against oppression, and for peace and justice for all.

#FreePalestine
Reposted by Torch Song
lightorchestra.bsky.social
The facts on the ground don’t speak well for #Trump

This may be the result of corporation after corporation, law firm after law firm, university after university, caving to his demands. Trump has got used to acting like a dictator, and now expects his political opponents to cave in the same way.
Reposted by Torch Song
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Public support for #digitalID collapsed after #Starmer announced plans for their introduction, in what is described as a symptom of the PM’s “reverse Midas touch”.

Support for ID cards fell from 35% in the summer to -14% today.

He faces an uphill battle to win public support for his policies.
Reposted by Torch Song
lovelysocialist.bsky.social
Flotilla spokesperson Thiago says: "You are not allowed by international law to stop us, therefore we do not comply with your request."

On social media the flotilla accused Israel of intimidation and said:

"The world is watching, and those responsible for hostile actions will be held accountable."
Reposted by Torch Song
bladeofthes.bsky.social
Israel surrounded the Global Sumud Flotilla, turned on jamming devices and is now 'probably' taking them as prisoners

Of course no one knows what's happening if Italy/Spain had stayed they could have monitored the situation

But the West don't care, Israel does whatever it wants
Reposted by Torch Song
newseye.bsky.social
Absolutely insane.

Every social media app is swarming with livestreams as a humanitarian flotilla is illegally intercepted by a hostile force in international waters.

BUT turn on any mainstream media channel right now and NOTHING.

It’s like they’re living in an alternate reality. What a failure.
CNN showing Trump with the headline:
Is the shutdown an opportunity for Trump.
Reposted by Torch Song
lovelysocialist.bsky.social
Italy's largest union calls for a #GeneralStrike in response to the attack on the flotilla.

#Gaza #Flotilla #Palestine
Italy's biggest union calls for general strike in support of Gaza aid flotilla
Protests are being held in a  number of Italian cities this evening in support of the global aid flotilla closing in on Gaza.

This includes in Naples where demonstrators halted train traffic at the main station.

It comes as the country's largest union has called a general strike for Friday in the past hour.

The Italian General Confederation of Labour said: "The attack on civilian vessels carrying Italian citizens represents an extremely serious matter.

"It is a blow to the very constitutional order that impedes humanitarian action and solidarity with the Palestinian population, subjected by the Israeli government to a veritable genocide operation.

"It is a direct attack on the safety and security of workers and volunteers on board."

There is no suggestion of violence on board at this point, and Italy's foreign minister has sought assurances that any interaction with the flotilla remains peaceful.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
In refusing to grant #Trump’s wishes, Democrats are making a painful choice.

There's never a good time to shut down the government. It will cause immediate pain as federal agencies suspend important functions.

Not everything broken during a shutdown can easily be fixed once the government returns.
lightorchestra.bsky.social
Public support for #digitalID collapsed after #Starmer announced plans for their introduction, in what is described as a symptom of the PM’s “reverse Midas touch”.

Support for ID cards fell from 35% in the summer to -14% today.

He faces an uphill battle to win public support for his policies.