A year of my life.
Improving as a photographer. The opening photos are much worse than the closing photos.
I started off as a travel and street photographer. Now I would say documentary photographer first.
I can see my own journey and the journey of others here. Friendships were made along the way.
Trauma experienced together. I have met some amazing people and made lifelong friends.
I remember waking on October 7th and reading a group chat I am part of.
It said, “The prison walls have fallen long live the resistance.”
I hadn’t even read the news. I simply knew. I replied, “The oppression will fall.”
On October 8th, 2023, I grabbed my camera and headed to the Palestinian art mural.
Painted by children of the Shatila refugee camp. Later in October, it was removed.
On 09/10/2023, there was an emergency rally at the Monument in Newcastle.
I was there. After I looked at the photos and thought, “I could add something here with my photography”.
So, 14/10/23, I brought out my camera to an event for the first time.
Here is one year of resistance in Newcastle through my eyes and camera lens.
I never expected it to be a year.
Shadiya is coming off the platform.
She had just given a speech about the Nakba of 1948.
What it did to her family. Her grandmother, her baba (Arabic for father), the suffering they had.
A year later, it still echos in my mind.
Look at the love she is surrounded by.
I didn’t know her then. I didn’t know any of these people.
بالروح بالدم نفديكِ يا فلسطين
القدس هي العاصمة، سنعود وسنقرر مستقبلنا
On the 14th of October, we held the largest march for justice Newcastle has had in years.
Then we went to the BBC and demanded an end to biased media coverage.
Almost a year later, and it has not changed.
Our demands are the same.
We are still here.
Arrests were made for holding up this sign.
We continued each Saturday going forward.
We got more creative and artistic in November.
Lighting up the Millennium Bridge while carrying flags.
Ish stands alone on a tank from Armstrong Works.
Now the military owned arms factory in the city.
Ish gave up his freedom to highlight the death factory.
The support there was incredible, and graffiti was everywhere.
In Istanbul, I didn’t intend to visit a protest. I was only there 3 days.
I went to photograph the Blue Mosque.
Well, I was in for a surprise.
I may not have understood the Turkish.
In a corner, I hear an English chant from the river to the sea.
Then I heard, “Bi ruh bi dam nafdika ya Falastine.” Arabic I knew.
I went towards the sound. Found a small group continuing on lead by a proud Palestinian.
As Christmas approached, no end was in sight.
We went to more places to protest.
Morpeth is a small town in Northumberland.
With a backdrop of Christmas lights, snow, and Santa in a 4×4.
We read it as a list of names of the martyrs.
17 pages!
We didn’t scratch the surface.
Let that sink in.
17 pages!
The third medical vigil happened on 15/12/23.
Organised by doctors to remember healthcare workers murdered. For doing their jobs.
The idea that anyone could assist the injured is one the genocidal Israeli war machine could not tolerate.
By this date, 278 healthcare workers had been slaughtered.
Journalists were another major target as they showed the genocide to the world.
This remains the hardest set of photos I took.
It was hosted by the first person in the community I called a friend and still do.
It was also the day I found out I lost a friend in Gaza. These images were captured through a camera that barely left my face.
Each press of the shutter, more tears rolled down my face.
My moustache is filling with tears. becoming soaked.
I could taste the salt of my own tears in it.
What I found later was a powerful set of shots. Tears always fill my eyes when I see them.
I guess they always will.
Protests at the Israeli arms factory in Newcastle increased.
In September 2022, Rafael Advanced Weapons System (the maker of the iron dome) purchased Pearson Engineering.
That meant an Israeli government-owned arms company owned an arms factory. Right here in Newcastle.
They claim not to make anything used in Gaza, so they are not complicit. Well, their profits get used in Gaza to slaughter innocent people.
We held a kite-making and flying event for children.
To protect them from hearing about all the killing but still show support.
We held more events in Christmas themed areas to draw attention to the cause.
A promise going into the new year.
2024
People started to take more drastic actions.
Stopping maintenance work being carried out at the arms factory.
The marches continue.
Shadiya (pictured below) organised a charity event generating £36k for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Omar showed off necklaces he got for his nieces in Gaza; he’s still not been able to give them to them.
Protests of the city council started. Graffiti first, then disrupting council meeting.
Protests continued on Saturdays.
Palestinians remained front and centre.
Age is never an issue of their understanding.
Yup, that Israeli state-owned arms factory is still here. So we still protest.
In February, the student movement started to really spring to life.
Hope In Times Of Darkness with Jeremy Corbyn, Hala Hanina, and Dr. Ismail Adam Patel (Friends of Al Aqsa).
All eyes on Rafah. February 2024.
A trip to Glasgow to visit the Labour Party conference in Scotland.
We went to local Labour MP’s offices. A vice chair of Labour friends of Israel.
So as above, FUCK LABOUR.
Oh, you’re still there, breaking international law.
Following the murder of Hind Rijab, we went to the beach.
The beach is a source of joy for the people of Gaza.
We are in March 6 months! Now there is a Labour Party conference in Newcastle.
We had our first event with Lowkey.
Yup, still there, so are we. Shut down Rafael.
We start to see more arrests as we protest.
Arts event for Palestine.
While many spaces blocked events like this. Others chose to host them.
The Old Coal Yard were one such place.
The owner was proud to be able to support the event. While it may not have been suitable for many in the community, it was perfect for this arts fundraiser.
On the 1st of May, Newcastle University student encampment started.
The university invests too much into the industrial war machine.
Omar gave a speech about his feelings as a Palestinian living in exile with a desire to return.
An emotional speech about how disconnected he had felt.
How the events of the genocide seemed so far away. Yet they were so personal.
But he also brought the vibes back up.
Fridays brought multifaith communal prayers.
Prayers of all faiths were observed. Peacefully together.
As camp went on, the university kept trying to make life more difficult. Protests increased.
The students of the encampment were not deterred. Only growing in strength as the university did more to move them on.
Maqluba from a local Palestinian restaurant.
Wafi Lounge brought food to camp.
Palestinians from Gaza, yet also Geordies. When I lived in Scotland, if I was back in Newcastle and football was on, I would always go here.
The first conversation I had with Mido was about why I was wearing a Kufiya.
As a Palestinian, this brought him joy. That’s a story for another time.
We were blessed with the aurora borealis showing during camp.
Something many had never seen. The Northern Lights made a strong showing.
I had seen them several times. We talked about them being strong at the coast. I looked up, and instantly I recognised the streaks in the sky.
The camera may capture more, but the structure was clear to see with the naked eye.
Peter Mortimer helped with the project to create the mural that opens this essay.
His son Dylan and him spoke about the meaning of it and the fact it was removed.
The aim was to educate about it and petition to have it return to the wall of Tynemouth metro station.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received an honorary degree in civil law in 1967 from Newcastle University.
They named their main hall, Kings Hall, after him.
The students renamed it. They didn’t think Dr. King would approve of complicity in genocide.
On the 29th of May, the student occupied the hall and renamed it Al-Shifa Hall after Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza that was raided and destroyed.
The students wanted to make a statement; they are in solidarity demanding the university divest their investments from Israel and the arms trade.
Of course this was met with violence and a large amount of police from multiple forces from Scotland down to Yorkshire.
Here is Hala meeting the police, standing tall, a proud Palestinian vs. oppression.
The camp was not getting anywhere being quiet on a lawn; the university was too comfortable with it.
Look at the disappointment in putting the weapon away.
The rain did not deter us.
The resolve of Palestinian women is unmatched.
We shut down the Tyne Bridge and waited all night for the arrestees to come out.
It was a spontaneous choice to leave the university.
We blockaded the main bridge into the city.
Shutting it down.
After the 29th the community showed their support and demand the university divest.
Labour decided to bring their campaign to Newcastle.
We went to protest and let them know there was no normal business when so many abstained on the cease fire vote.
The police kept most people out of the event.
On the way I took off my Kufiya.
I buried it in my bag.
Got the camera out.
I looked like the press.
I was in!
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Catherine McKinnell Vice chair of Labour friends of Israel.
I had to hold my tongue; she wasn’t who I was there to protest.
Angela Rayner was deputy Labour leader.
I shouted when she came out for her interview.
She ran away out of the backdoor.
She was meant to give an interview.
No, not here, not in our city.
Proudest personal moment. Can you tell?
At the end of July camp ended.
As August came in, the UK experienced a series of race riots.
I won’t go into them here, but I went all over the North East documenting them.
I’ll do a piece on them later. Many of the people who stand up for Palestinians stood for minority communities in our own area too.
On my walk around Newcastle after a report of a gathering, I found nothing but this painted on a building.
Imagine Peace
Yoko Ono
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Gateshead
River Tyne South Bank
On 07/10/24, as the sun sets.
I upload the last few pictures. From this journey.
Women in Black walk through the city in a silent vigil, a complete year.
Under occupation,
there can be no peace.
You have to learn the language of the oppressor, when the oppressor does not speak yours.
Those who have mastered the oppressors language.
They are the resistance.
I could write so much more.
I likely will.
I have so much more to show and say.
Freedom is incomplete without freedom for all.
The last year has changed me.
I’ll never be the same.
How can we watch a genocide broadcast directly to our phones.
You’re probably seeing this on your phone.
So to paraphrase.
The revolution will now be televised.
Donate to the Emergency relief fund set up by Sheffield PSC and Musheir El Farra
on the ground in Gaza. to make a tangible difference.
Updates are posted about who they help directly by them.
Thank you for reading. Please visit Boris Apple’s article titled Gaza here to see my inspiration.
Also inspired by Zach Hussein and his article here you need to click his name to read his journey to his homeland.
Written and photographed by Scott Smith, edited by AV and AA.
The Bearded Skot 
Leave a reply to Elena Gorman Cancel reply