OneWorld.net (U.S.)

On Saturday 8th May 2004, the Manchester Palestine Forum acted out a die-in on Market Street--one of Manchester's main downtown shopping streets. The street theatre included a mock Israeli "tank" complete with flag and sound effects. Crowds of shoppers looked startled and bemused as the tank suddenly pulled out of a quiet side street into the crowded shopping street. The tank's sound effects included engine noise, machine-gun fire, a siren, and a voice shouting warnings over a loudspeaker. The tank was immediately pelted with "stones", made from foam, by "Palestinians" dressed in "blood"-stained white overalls. Meanwhile, shouts of "Free, free Palestine" rang out above the action. After a few minutes, the "Palestinians" fell to the floor "dead" and lay still for five minutes. The die-in street theatre gave shoppers a realistic taste of the reality of occupied Palestine today. It created a lot of interest and normally blasé onlookers started to take leaflets in their hundreds. The action ended in a bun-fight between the tank-crew and groups of children throwing the foam "stones" at each other. The "tank" will be travelling to London for the demonstration on Saturday 15th May. Broadband video clip of Die-in for Palestine