There were strong turnouts across the country for Palestine on 10 October. Counterfire members report on some of them here

Workers across the country took action in their workplaces as part of the Workplace Day of Action organised by the coalition behind the national Palestine protests, including Stop the War and Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Several of these actions have taken place since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza last October, but this one in particular was strengthened by the strong backing of Unison, with many of its members organising walkouts and protests in their workplaces.

It comes as Israel’s campaign of violence expands into the wider Middle East, with the invasion of Lebanon and bombing of Yemen and Syria. Despite this drastic escalation, Israel’s backers in the West, particularly the US and Britain, have been silent and waved it on, saving their condemnation for Iran’s airstrikes instead.

Counterfire members across the country reported on actions in their workplaces and local areas.

University of Bristol

Around 100 staff and students gathered for a lunchtime rally on the workplace day of action at the heart of the campus of the University of Bristol. Speeches came from academics, professional-services staff, students and a Unison representative. There was a particular focus on continuing to build the campaign to divest from the University’s numerous partnerships with arms manufactures, including companies supplying Israel.

London School of Economics and King’s College London

Hundreds of students walked out of classes at LSE and King’s College London and rallied together with staff members in UCU and Unison unions. After a rally on their own campus, LSE students marched down to join the rally at King’s.

The students heard speeches which railed against their institutions’ complicity in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people through investments, academic relationships with apartheid universities and through the suspension of seven students involved in the encampment at LSE last term.

The rallies were lively and angry, outraged at the ongoing atrocities but determined to keep fighting. They were led by second- and third-year students who have been organising over the last twelve months, but were widely attended by the new cohort of first-year students. Speakers noted the victories that the movement on campuses and nationally has achieved and stressed the need to strengthen the movement and keep mobilising.

The staff action saw members of Unison join the actions after their union’s enthusiastic support for this round of national actions, which was also backed by the TUC at its recent congress. The display of student-worker solidarity was a hopeful sight of the strength of united, collective action and the scope for deepening and broadening what is already one of the biggest mass movements in British history.

Westminster Kingsway College

Students and staff at Westminster Kingsway College in central London organised a very successful protest in front of their main building on Wednesday. The organisers from the UCU lecturer’s union said it was the most successful they have held since March. For lots of those present, it was the first protest they had ever been on.

Bradford Royal Infirmary Hospital – Simon Midgeley

Around twenty healthcare workers held a successful protest outside Bradford Royal Infirmary Hospital. Those gathered chanted Palestine slogans and several people from the local Palestine group joined the protest as well. Members of the hospital security even joined the action.

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Around twelve people came together to discuss Israel’s ongoing war on the Middle East with Stop the War convener Lindsey German. The meeting agreed to found a Stop the War coalition branch at the trust.

Greater Manchester Transport Unison

Unison members at Greater Manchester transport came together to call for a ceasefire now and to stop arming Israel, £80 was collected for Medical Aid for Palestinians.