Several hundred protesters marched up Lewisham High Street on Saturday to a rally outside Lewisham Town Hall, Catford. They delivered a petition with more than 3,000 signatures, calling for the council to "Divest for Palestine".| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.
Disabled People against the Cuts were joined by councillors opposing the government's plans to slash disability benefits. Peace groups rallied in support of Cllr Shrivastava, who lost his role on the Pension Investment Committee after calling for divestment for Palestine.| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.
Campaigners' divestment petition, which had over 3,000 signatures, made it onto the Agenda for debate. Green group leader Shrivastava proposed a motion for full divestment, while Cllr Sian Eiles, Pensions Investment Committee (PIC) chair, proposed an amendment which council agreed.| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.
Campaigners have been protesting at Woolwich Town Hall since October 2023, calling for the council to divest its pension fund from companies involved in Israel's military occupation, apartheid and genocide in Gaza. However, there is a sense among campaigners that their voices are being ignored.| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.
'Uncomradely' behaviour and formal warnings for being anti-genocide.| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.
Councillor Shrivastava said that Labour has abandoned its democratic socialist values, is aping far-right rhetoric and allowing Reform to surge in the polls. "Its gravest crime is its continued .. support for the genocidal Israeli regime which has killed over 55,000 including 18,000 children."| Salamander News - Community, climate and nature for Lewisham.