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Ridley and former MP George Galloway toured South Africa on their People Power Tour, calling for support for Palestinians and comparing Gaza to apartheid-era South Africa.
British activist and former soldier James Ridley and former British MP George Galloway visited South Africa as part of their South African People Power Tour, appearing together at events focused on the conflict in Gaza and support for Palestinians. Galloway also called for continued support for Palestinians during a rally in Cape Town. The pair said they were touring the country to build momentum behind the Palestinian cause.
Ridley Links October 7 to Taliban Capture
Ridley said international attitudes towards the conflict are shifting and believes that momentum is growing in support of the Palestinian cause. Reflecting on the date of October the 7th, he recounted how the date takes him back to 25 years ago, when he was first captured by the Taliban. He said he was told at the time that the Taliban was the most brutal regime in the world. He used the comparison to argue that the situation in Gaza now deserves the same kind of international attention and concern.
He told the audience that people ask him what October the 7th means to him, and he answers by recalling his own experience in captivity. He said the memory of being held by the Taliban shaped his view of what he described as regimes that suppress people. He argued that the same questions being asked about the Taliban then should be asked about the conflict in Gaza today.
Ridley's remarks were part of a broader appeal to rally support for Palestinians during the South African tour. He said he believes more people around the world are beginning to question official narratives about the conflict. He presented the tour as a way to connect with South African audiences who have their own history of struggle.
Galloway Compares Gaza to Apartheid South Africa
Speaking to the crowd in Cape Town, Galloway drew comparisons between South Africa's struggle against apartheid and the Palestinian cause. He referenced the bagpipes and drums that led the march and said the participants saw everything in the illumination of the lighthouse. He said they saw everything through Nelson Mandela's spectacles and saw Robben Island, which he called the most infamous dastardly prison in the world.
He then added that Gaza, Jerusalem and Palestine are an even more evil prison, and he described the situation as having lasted for the past eight decades. Galloway called for continued support for Palestinians during the rally, which was one of several events on the tour. He framed the Palestinian cause as part of a wider global struggle against oppression.
The rally in Cape Town formed part of the People Power Tour, which includes a series of events focused on the conflict in Gaza and support for Palestinians. The tour has brought the two figures to South Africa at a time when international debate over the conflict continues. Organisers said the events are intended to raise awareness and encourage solidarity.
The visit also carries symbolic weight because of South Africa's own history of apartheid and the international solidarity movement that supported the struggle against it. Galloway and Ridley appealed to that history as they made their case for the Palestinian cause. Their message was directed at both South African audiences and international observers.
People Power Tour Events and Message
The South African People Power Tour includes a series of events focused on the conflict in Gaza and support for Palestinians, according to the organisers. The Cape Town rally was among the stops on the tour. Galloway and Ridley used the platform to argue that international opinion is moving in their direction.
Ridley said he believes that momentum is growing in support of the Palestinian cause. He pointed to shifting international attitudes towards the conflict as evidence that more people are paying attention. He said the tour is part of an effort to keep the issue in the public eye.
The pair's appearances have drawn attention in South Africa, where the legacy of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement remains a powerful reference point in political debate. Galloway invoked Mandela and Robben Island directly in his speech. He said the crowd saw everything through Mandela's spectacles, linking the Palestinian cause to South Africa's own liberation story.
Context of the South Africa Visit
South Africa has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, and its own history of apartheid has shaped how many South Africans view the conflict. The visit by Galloway and Ridley fits into that broader political context. The tour organisers said the events are meant to build solidarity and raise awareness.
Galloway, a former British MP, has a long record of campaigning on international issues, including the Palestinian cause. Ridley, who has spoken about his capture by the Taliban 25 years ago, brought his own personal history into the discussion. Both said they see the current moment as a turning point in international opinion.
The People Power Tour is scheduled to include further events in South Africa. The organisers have not released a full list of dates and venues in the source material. The Cape Town rally, however, provided the clearest public statement of the pair's message during the visit.
The tour comes amid continuing international debate over the conflict in Gaza and the wider region. Galloway and Ridley said they want to see continued support for Palestinians and greater pressure on those they accuse of oppression. They said their South African visit is part of that effort.
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