Reports

On Tuesday January 6, Gaza 2025 Flotilla Participants author & journalist Yvonne Ridley (Yvonne Ridley) and founder of charity Refugee Biriyani & Bananas, Ruhi Loren Akhtar (About Refugee Biriyani & Bananas - Refugee Biriyani & Bananas) spoke at a meeting organised by Newcastle Stop the War in the evening at the Irish Centre. Abour 30 partiipants listened to the account of the recent Global Sumud Flotilla last year. People across the world chose to act bravely carryig on against Israeli hijacking to try and reach Gaza with vital baby feed and food for the starving Palestinians. The 40 boats, the largest flottilla so far, was hijacked and the participants taken hostage in international waters by the Israeli regime responsible for the genocide against the Palestinians. The accounts of Yvonne and Ruhi document this heroic struggle to break the siege of Gaza. The meeting was also a launching pad in Newcastle for a new flottilla for Gaza in the new year and details will be circulated. After Yvonne and Ruhi's gripping accounts many questions were asked and answered. The meeting was also addressed by Newcastle and South Tyneside stop the war member Roger Nettleship on the recent actions taken by the anti-war movement standing with Venezuela and the resistance of the Bolivarian republic to the US state terrorism. The demand for the release of Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores and the fight of Venezuela to defend its sovereignty. The meeting was Chaired by Shumel Rahman Chair of Newcastle Stop the War. Speeches are below.
Shumel Rahman opening remarks
Yvonne Ridley author & journalist
Ruhi Loren Akhtar founder of charity Refugee Biriyani & Bananas

Venezuela: no to bombing and regime change

Martin Levy President of the Newcastle TUC was one of the speakers from trade unions and Latin American activists addressing an emergency rally at the Monument to condemn US war on Venezuela January 5 2026. Roger Nettleship gave a statement from Newcastle Stop the War and South Tyneside Stop the war on the actions taken by the anti-war movement standing with Venezuela and the resistance of the Bolivarian republic to the US state terrorism. The demand for the release of Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cillia Flores and the fight of Venezuela to defend its sovereignty.
PDF of NSW and STW speech at January 6 Sumud Flotilla meeting

The British government should condemn the forced removal and attack, call for an immediate cessation of military action by the US, and the return of Maduro

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