In that regard, it’s been very successful. Stuff like “George Galloway convoy link to ‘terrorists’” is all over the media.

Interesting article in a north west newspaper website today - http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburn/4128407.Anger_over_East_Lancashire_terror_swoop/

Is it true that the cops closed the M65 motorway in order to be able to effect this arrest? If so, that is extraordinary grandstanding by the police - motivated by what, a desire to discredit the convoy, or to put the frighteners on the participants? Funnily enough if the former it has probably served to publicise the convoy, which is of course subject to an entirely predictable mainstream media blackout.

Oddly, not a single cop was in evidence that I saw for the send-off of the convoy from Hyde Park London, which went off entirely peacefully (of course), benignly observed by a handful of the Royal Parks’ events sub-contractors, in civilian clothes & hi-vi jackets.

http://www.michaellavalette.com/archives/427

“There are memorable times in everyones life- the birth of a child or a family wedding. However, certain events are memorable because they restore your faith in human nature and, dare one say, unify the ummah.
The attacks in Gaza shocked communities, towns and cities across the world. The sheer barbarity accompanied by the deafening silence from the world community galvanised individuals and groups the world over. Up and down the country, people marched, demonstrated and protested at the injustice - to try and highlight the pain and suffering of the innocent of Gaza. However, from amongst this depair lossomed a sense of unity and solidarity, which has seldom been seen or felt in Preston.

A few weeks ago, at a public meeting organised by the local campaigning charity ‘Children of the Ghetto’ and held at Preston Muslim Girls School, George Galloway MP addressed an attentive audience and challenged the people of Preston, to send a message of love to the stricken people of Gaza. The challenge was a daunting one - to organise and fund vehicles to join the ‘Viva Palestina’ humanitarian aid convoy leaving for Gaza on the 14th February. The challenge was massive, the work daunting and the
timescales impossible. However, a shy young girl, rose to meet the challenge. Her mission was to get children across Preston to fill shoe boxes with presents and send these in a van with the convoy, destined for the children of Gaza. Well, as they say, the rest is history.

On Friday two vans left Preston to join the Viva Palestina humanitarian aid convoy laden with hundreds upon hundreds of shoe boxes. It took a gigantic effort, aided by Madressas, maulanas, public spirited men and women to make this happen. But happen it did.
Well as for the shoeboxes- it almost seems like it was divinely guided. Because there was no better gift to send to the people of Gaza. Any type of aid such as food and clothing would have been found wanting. But
presents for children, after the death and maiming of so many young innocent children, seem like the perfect gift. My children, just like so many children across Preston, lovingly filled and wrapped their little
gifts for their ‘muslim brother’ or ‘muslim sister’. It was heart warming to see my young 3 and 6 year old daughters selflessly put toys and sweets into boxes, they knew full well, to be destined for ‘Palestime’ - as they would say. Well as for the message that my ten year old son wrote and placed in his shoebox - suffice to say it brought tears to my eyes. He wrote:

” Dear brother, I hope that you will appreciate what I am giving you. I am giving you this because I like you and because you are my Muslim brother. Inshaallah Allah will help you.”

These shoeboxes were more than just shoeboxes. They were a token of love, a symbol of solidarity, a message of hope and botherhood, and above all a reminder that our young children of Gaza are not forgotten. They are forever in our hearts, and we will continue to fight their fight, wipe their tears and comfort them in their hour of need.