London comes out against war in Syria

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Hundreds of people marched across London yesterday in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad.

The protests, which began at lunchtime, passed through the busy shopping district of Oxford Street, on to Regent Street, passed Piccadilly until it ended outside 10 Downing Street, the official home of the prime minister. It was organised by the Solidarity for Syrians programme.

One of the organisers, Khaled Al Maj, said: “The protests are our time to send our message, we will carry on even if it is 20 years on from the beginning of the revolution, I will not stop until Assad has gone down.”

George Morris joined the protest to remember and to “commemorate six years of one of the worst conflicts of our lifetime”.

Young Syrians took part hoping for a solution, feeling angry and frustrated at a world that seems to have turned a blind eye to their hopes of a free and democratic solution.

Syrian Roz said: “I know coming to this protest today isn’t going to change anything because if something was going to change and if someone was actually interested in helping the Syrian people politically it would have happened by now.”

“We are demanding our rights and freedom and democracy, we all stand as one against this injustice and this is why are here today with people and especially the youth who are demanding freedom,” Tunisian Saoussen said.

Fighting for justice

Amnesty International volunteers Carl and Catriona spoke of the international community’s duty to put “pressure towards getting justice for Syrians and insuring Assad and other groups do not get away with the violations they have committed over the last six years.”

The continuous pursuit of democracy in the Arab world is set to be a challenging endeavour demonstrator Salem believes. “Democracy in a region like the Middle East takes a long time and we cannot expect it to happen immediately. However, our demands remain the same: No to Daesh. No to Assad and his dictatorial regime and finally No to anyone who endangers the right for Syrians to gain their own choice of democracy.”

Louis Wickett-Padgham said: “We are first humans and so we must condemn this 21st century genocide on innocent people.”

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

A protest against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]

Londoners come out in solidarity with the Syrian people and their struggle against long-time ruler Bashar Al-Assad in London, March 18, 2017 [Mohammed Deghayes / Middle East Monitor]