Hundreds of thousands took part in a day of mass marches and protests across Sudan, in response to the call by the Sudanese Professionals Association and the Forces of Freedom and Change for a “miliyoniya” – a millions-strong protest to demand the handover of power to civilians.

Protesters in Atbara carry the body of a slain demonstrator, shot by security forces

Huge demonstrations snaked across Khartoum’s bridges, and the streets were filled with chanting protesters in neighbouring Omdurman. Tens of thousands marched in other towns and cities according to reports on social media, including Kassala, Port Sudan, Zeilangi, Ubayd, Madani, Gadaref and Atbara. Whole classes of school students wearing uniform joined the protests in Karima, in the north of Sudan and in Dungula.

Police used tear gas against demonstrators, and one protester was reported to have been shot dead by security forces in Atbara. Militia forces affiliated with the Transitional Military Council stormed a hospital in Gadaref, and shot inside with live ammunition, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, said on its Facebook page.

There were also pre-emptive arrests, including the president of the Sudanese Teachers’ Committee, Yassin Hassan Abdelkarim, who was seized by the security forces early on the morning of 29 June. The Teachers’ Committee is an important independent union which has played an important role in mobilising strike action before and during the uprising.

Dr Mohamed Nagi al-Asm, a leading member of the Sudanese Professionals Association said in live broadcast on the SPA’s Facebook page that 5 protesters had been killed and hundreds injured on 30 June.

“Sudanese showed today that they will not retreat until they have achieved civilian rule, as they consider this is the only way to achieve the goals of the revolution as outlined in the Declaration of Freedom and Change. After the Military Council attempted to break the will of the Sudanese people, through the massacre of 3 June/ 29 Ramadan, today the Sudanese people showed they are strong and courageous, and that they are capable of achieving all the revolution’s goals. There is no-one who can defeat them. There is no weapon which will make them turn back from achieving all of their demands.”

We affirm the necessity of holding fast and continuing with our protests peacefully. Non-violence is a weapon which is stronger than any other. We have no other way to achieve our goals, except through remaining peaceful, and we will not succumb to any attempts to provoke us into violence.”

What you can do: 

• Pass a resolution in solidarity with the Sudanese uprising in your trade union branch, calling on the British government to end all forms of cooperation with the Transitional Military Council and to work towards bringing those responsible for the killing of protesters to justice.

• Write to the Sudanese embassy calling for the immediate release of political prisoners and for an end to attacks on protesters