I didn’t go to the vigil for Gaza today; I was waiting for a lift and busy with the family. We were eating a late lunch and watching an American children’s programme, when the phone rang. It was my mum, Myrla, she sounded distracted, excited; I couldn’t quite make out what she was saying until she exclaimed, “Can you hear it?” and I heard a confident female voice; “It’s Betty Hunter”, my mum said, “Can you hear her?” I said “Yes” and then I heard Betty Hunter, I think she stated, “We cannot allow the Israelis to escalate their violence and continue with their ceaseless war of attrition.” Then she talked about boycotting Israeli products and companies and mentioned Veolia and their support for illegal Israeli settlements. The speech ended in whistles and cheers and then I could hear some kind of dispute going on in the background. My mum came back on the phone and said, “I think we are going to be arrested. The police say they are going to arrest us if we don’t move.” And then after a pause, “We are going to defy them; we have been singing here every week for years.” I said “Ok, I’d better let you go then; call me if you need help.” And we said our goodbyes.
My mum is 69, she sings in a choir called “Cor Cochion Caerdydd” (The Red Choir of Cardiff) and has done for years. The choir has been in existence since 1983 and some of their members are older than her; our good friend Ray Davies is 82. They have sung in the same place, opposite the entrance to the indoor market, in Cardiff, every Tuesday and Saturday for more than 20 years. Some of them are not in the best of health, so an arrest would be worrying. It could prove to be a tricky situation for the police. I hope they are handled with care, but judging by their previous experiences of arrest it doesn’t bode well. I feel very proud of their bravery and also their stalwart longevity; they have never given up. However, I am also a little apprehensive. Now I am just waiting to hear what has happened…..
Jill
Jill Eastland - Artist Activist 