What's it like going on a march?

Marches can be fun as well as getting a serious message across – there are bands and musicians, families marching together, sometimes even the odd dog too. Generally, it’s a lovely crowd of people all standing up for what they believe in. Moments like this restore your faith in humanity.

We are expecting this march to be a big one! Below you can find where we will meet at the start of the march and the ‘What 3 words’ location to help you find us. This is because there are lots of different organisations coming to this march and we want to ensure you come to the Red Line for Gaza section to join us. Remember, we’ll be wearing red, and it would be great if you can too, so our section stands out. If you do miss us, don’t worry, anyone can join the march at any point.

Wear red if you can!

• Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.
• Water and snacks (definitely snacks, London is expensive).
• Signs, banners, placards – we will have a limited number if you can’t bring your own.
• Friends and family - everyone is welcome.
• It will be noisy: consider ear defenders or ear plugs.
• A charged phone for safety and communication.
• And if you need it, a power bank for your phone (don’t forget the cable).

A march of this size can last a long time. You will be on your feet either standing or walking, if this is too much, then why not bring along a foldable stool or seat to help take that break you need?

And it can get busy, really busy – so if it’s all getting a bit too much and you feel like the crowd is getting tight, there will be stewards along the route you can talk to and find some timeout.

Why not pre-arrange a meeting point or chill out space away from the march, that you and any friends agree to meet at if you get split up, or just decide to meet up afterwards – it's always good to have an exit plan.

Location for the start of the march is Russell Square – but we are going to meet up with other Red Line coalition partners at Tavistock Square, just 8 minutes from the start of the march. Below is the ‘What 3 words’ location for this – but you should be able to see us as we will have a big Red Line for Gaza banner.

• March start location: Russell Square
• Red Line meeting point: Tavistock Square What 3 words: oven.speech.voices
• Meeting Time: 11.30am
• Marching Time: 12pm

Choose your placard message

• Make it personal, what matters to you?
• What are the Red Lines that matter to you?
• Be careful. You will probably have heard about the people protesting by making posters expressing solidarity for Palestine Action, and the arrests under the Terrorism Act. So wearing a pin badge for Palestine Action or saying "I support Palestine Action" are both likely to lead to arrests, and, under the current state of the law, would be criminal offences. As a charity, we do not endorse this and would not be allowed to have you in the Red Line bloc/group, so please be aware.
• Remember, we’re there to tell our government that we want this crisis to end!

Find something to draw on

• Cardboard, a canvas, anything flat you can paint or write on, and ultimately hold up. Nothing too heavy, you’ll be carrying it all day!

Add your message

• Be as creative as you can, single messages work really well, but don’t let that hold you back from decorating your placard to make this a peaceful protest!

Share anywhere or everywhere

• Hold your placard high, take photos in famous places, share them with your friends and family and don’t forget the hashtag #RedLineForGaza

Staying safe at a march is a key personal responsibility. This march is a peaceful march and family friendly, but sometimes things go sour when external actors decide they want to disrupt things.

So, our advice is, if you see something, say something. There will be stewards and police ensuring the march is safe for everyone and are there to help you if something goes wrong. If there seems to be something happening that you don’t like the look of, walk away. If you’re not feeling comfortable or safe, you can leave at any time. Taking a charged phone is important if you get lost or need any help, so you might want to bring a power bank too.

We expect this to be a peaceful march where we get our strong message to the UK government that red lines have been crossed by Israel and we want them to take action now.

If you want to know more, Liberty the human rights organisation, has robust advice about going on Palestine marches.

Let’s make this a beautiful day where we come together with like-minded individuals, calling for peace and justice for people in Gaza.