The new wave of Palestinian protesters are heirs to giants such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, CLR James and Rosa Parks
History is often written by ordinary people dedicated to a cause in the pursuit of peace and justice. Israel’s reign of terror over Palestine since the 7 October attack by Hamas has seen the rise to prominence of several such activists using social media to highlight the graphic truth of the horrific suffering there.
Railing against the state propaganda machines, people such as Motaz Azaiza, Bisan Owda, Plestia Alaqad, Hind Khoudary and the veteran journalist Wael al-Dahdouh have brought shocking, heart-rending images straight to our phones. Pictures of weeping parents kneeling over the tiny, bloodied corpses of children have stirred up deep anger against Hamas, the Israeli government and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and at the complicity of the US, UK and EU governments.
Politicians may dominate the narrative, as they gaslight the world with fake facts, but the voices of activists, amplified through social media, are making an indelible mark.
In the broader context of this fight, it is important to remember racism and apartheid’s origins in imperialism, colonialism and slavery, and to recognise the crucial contributions and indomitable spirits of those activists who fought the dehumanising forces that gave birth to such inequality.
The world needs reminding that Palestinian lives matter, as do Israelis’ lives
Many remarkable individuals have shed light on pervasive darkness. Giants of history such as Marcus Garvey, a Caribbean trailblazer who advocated for pan-Africanism and mobilised a global movement that instilled solidarity and pride within the black community.
Rosa Parks played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement by sparking the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. Her act of resistance against segregation symbolised the quiet strength that fuelled the broader movement. Martin Luther King’s relentless activism of nonviolence was manifested through protests and marches and civil disobedience. Malcolm X, a charismatic and uncompromising figure, rose to prominence advocating black empowerment and self-defence, inspiring a new generation to challenge the status quo.
Stokely Carmichael, AKA Kwame Ture, a Trinidadian who became a leading figure in the Black Power movement, emphasised the need for political and economic self-sufficiency. Carmichael’s activism sought to redefine black identity, urging the community to embrace their heritage with pride.
The actor John Boyega at a Black Lives Matter rally in Hyde Park in 2020. Many stars like him are using their prominence to help progressive causes. Photograph: Wayne ‘Wacfoo’ Campbell
We cannot forget the gargantuan figure of Nelson Mandela, whose unbreakable character shaped his origins as a legal activist. “Legal activism” led a group of extraordinary South African lawyers to champion a case at the international court of justice on the violence in Gaza and the question of whether Israel has committed genocidal acts against Palestinians.
Activism can also come through academia, music, art or even sports. Writers such as Walter Rodney, Frantz Fanon and CLR James were all “scholar activists”. Artists have also played a crucial role in the fight for equality. Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Aswad, Culture, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Stormzy, David Rudder, Black Stalin and Benjamin Zephaniah, have employed reggae, rap, calypso or the spoken word to articulate the struggles of marginalised communities.
Graffiti artists such as Banksy show how street art can provoke reflection. In sport, Marcus Rashford, Sade Mané, Didier Drogba and Shaka Hislop all took a stand against racism, poverty and war. Actors such as John Boyega and Sir Lenny Henry have also taken up the fight.
The racially segregated roads and housing [of the occupied territories] reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa
Desmond Tutu
In the heart of London’s Brixton market, the photographer Wayne Campbell – AKA Wacfoo – is another of the contemporary army of activists. His work tells stories about defiance, rebellion and protests against racial injustice and deteriorating human rights. He describes his activism as “purpose-filled creativity”.
“Historically, the colour of my skin had often caused those of a lighter hue to believe that my blackness made me inferior and that being a ‘person of colour’ would negate the possibility of ever being equal to them. I grew up in Brixton, south London, in the 70s, a decade in which being black was the only reason one needed to be stopped by the police,” Campbell remembers.
“I was eight or nine years old when racism was first introduced to me. Fast-forward some 45 years later and not much has changed. To state that the lives of black people matter, not that they matter more, but simply that they matter at all, and that such a simple assertion can be so controversial in some circles, speaks volumes.”
The Israel-Palestine conflict is not so far removed from black people’s struggles when Palestinians are presented as less than human and that their lives do not matter.
After visiting the occupied Palestinian territories, Desmond Tutu said “the racially segregated roads and housing … reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under the racist system of apartheid.
“In South Africa, we could not have achieved our freedom and just peace without the help of people around the world, who through the use of nonviolent means, such as boycotts and divestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the apartheid regime.”
The same needs to be done for Palestinians as these young activists have found themselves at the centre of a decades-long battle, and have brought about awareness, risking their lives even while their loved ones are dying around them. Many people who have become distrustful of western media, take notice: that is social media’s strength. The marches in London and throughout the world might be scorned by leaders – but they have been prompted by this activism.
Scorn towards social media is often justified – but in this instance, it is misplaced. We all use the “weapons” at our disposal to create change.
Bob Marley used his powerful anthem of resistance – War – to emphasise the urgency of dismantling these ideologies. Marley envisioned a world where the divisive philosophy of racial superiority was permanently discredited, and all citizens, regardless of their race, enjoyed equal rights. He called for an end to discrimination, where the colour of one’s skin held no significance, likening it to the colour of one’s eyes.
Marley’s message was a call to action, highlighting that true peace, global citizenship and moral governance could only be achieved when fundamental human rights were universally guaranteed without racial distinctions. Until then, he cautioned, the dream of lasting peace would remain an elusive pursuit.
From fiery speeches to soul-stirring melodies, from Windrush to Gaza, activism extends beyond the big stage by “any means necessary” to amplify the voices of the downtrodden. From the grand scale of Mandela to the Instagram account of Azaiza or the grassroots Wayne Campbell, all are activists – whether social media warriors today or protest leaders tomorrow, many have brought about awareness, and awareness agitates for change. In all its forms, activism remains a potent force for change.
The world needs reminding that Palestinian lives matter, as do Israelis’ lives. That Muslim lives matter just as much as Jewish and Christians, and that brown and black lives matter just as white lives do. As young Palestinians carry the fight, their courage and resilience are paving the way for a more just and equitable world, challenging us all to consider how we can contribute to the ongoing struggle for equal rights and justice.
