A “freedom flotilla” of six ships attempted to end the blockade of Gaza but were stopped by Israeli forces, with activists dying in the resulting struggle (WP).
“Freedom for the Basque political prisoners.” “Askatasuna” is Basque for “freedom”. In January 2010, all 742 Basque political prisoners went on hunger strike to protest the policy of dispersing them to prisons all over Spain and France.
The photograph of a stretchered soldier giving a ‘thumbs up’ (shown below) was set up and photographed by Captain Ed Hodges of the King’s Royal Hussars in Basra, Iraq, in 2007 (Daily Mail). In silhouette (as shown here) it has become the icon of the Help For Heroes charity raising money for British forces.
Pro-Cuba mural on the International Wall and criticism of the Obama regime’s continuation of the US blockade. “The world opposes US blockade of Cuba. Time for a change Mr Obama.” “UN General Assembly resolution Oct 2008. Countries opposed to the blockade: 185. Countries in favour: 3 (US, Israel, Palau)”. “¡Aqui no se rinde nadie!” [There’s no giving up here!] (For criticism of Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, on the international wall, see this mural.)
The word “Venceremos” would later be added on the left; see M05637.
“Askatasuna [freedom]. 700 political prisoners! Political parties banned! Incidents of torture! Civil rights abused! Not Spain, not France. Self-determination for the Basque country.” Also highlighted on the map are Galicia and Catalonia.
Picasso’s Guernica (WP) was recreated on The International Wall (Divis Street) in 2007 and now (2009) a reference to the deaths in Gaza has been added on the right, in the form of two bombs — one with a swastika and “Guernica ’37” and the other with a Star Of David and “Gaza 2009” — above and below the information plaque (which can be seen in the Peter Moloney Collection).
Last year’s pro-Palestine mural on the International Wall (see Free Palestine From 60 Years Of Nakba!) has been augmented with words in red reading “End this barbarian Israeli aggression! “This is a war crime!” – Yonaton Shapira, Israeli refusenik. 1300+ slaughtered. Get the truth! Go to aljazeera.net/english”
The number was originally 700 (Alamy); it was presumably changed to 1000 at some point, though no image has been found of this; in any case, here 1000 has been crossed out and replaced with 1300.
This is the ‘Cuba – Ireland’ mural in Shiels Street, middle Falls, west Belfast, at the end of its life in 2008. The mural dates back to at least 1998 – see the images from 1999 in the Peter Moloney Collection.