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Re: Palestine Action
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Re: Palestine Action
Man arrested in Glasgow for holding a sign that said 'Genocide In Gaza - Time To Take Action'
That is the 'terrorist' offence - not the genocide!Comment
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Re: Palestine Action
You'll be glad to know I saw some people protesting about Israel on Queen Street earlier Jon, and no arrests or police (or much public) interest 👍Originally posted by jon1959 View PostComment
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Re: Palestine Action
That is definitely newsworthy!Originally posted by JamesWales View Post
Over 100 arrested yesterday. I saw about a dozen arrested in Parliament Square - mostly older women. The police looked embarrassed but into the wagons they went!
Meanwhile:
At least two grassroots pro-Palestine organisations in the UK have had their bank accounts frozen, raising fears about a wider attempt to silence voices speaking out about Gaza.
Greater Manchester Friends for Palestine (GMFP) and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which both organise peaceful protests and vigils, have had access to their funds cut off indefinitely by Virgin Money and Unity Trust bank respectively. The Guardian understands a local PSC branch in England has also had its bank account frozen but was unable to confirm it directly.
Coming amid the banning of Palestine Action earlier this month and the arrest of more than 100 people for showing support for the group, and the threatened arrest of a peaceful protester for having a Palestine flag and “Free Gaza” sign, it has amplified concerns about a crackdown on critics of Israel.
Owen Cooper, co-treasurer of GMFP, said the group, which lists bike-riding among its activities, has been marching peacefully for more than a year and a half without incident or criminal activity but Virgin Money refused to say why its account had been frozen.
“If it’s purely the fact that we have Palestine on the bank account name, I think it’s a very worrying sign,” said Cooper. “It would be not only hugely worrying but hugely disappointing to think that a country that values freedom of speech, that is a liberal democracy can be acting like this and that ordinary, decent people with a conscience are being regarded as extremists.
“What could the bank be thinking that we’ve done? Certainly nothing that the police believe is a crime.”Comment
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Re: Palestine Action
More 'criminal damage' redefined as terrorism!
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Re: Palestine Action
More heavy handed stupidity from the police - which is no surprise with the way the proscription has been framed!
Madness!Comment
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Re: Palestine Action
Sorry, I'm a bit late to reply. But their 'action' against elbit in Bristol contained the actions I mentioned. It's been very conveniently forgotten about by the guardian articles. I do think prescription is a bit strong, but with what they've done I wouldn't be surprised if there is intelligence on them being willing to do much worse. Then again it could just be Starmer trying to look tough again (the most likely option).Originally posted by jon1959 View PostComment
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Re: Palestine Action
Couple of links:
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They are goodies though, so how could this be so?Originally posted by chrisp_1927 View PostComment
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Re: Palestine Action
Thanks for the response and the links. Filton was certainly a significant (and atypical) incident.Originally posted by chrisp_1927 View Post
I didn't realise the Terrorism Act (and Anti-Terror Police from the SE) were used so much in these prosecutions. One of the original 18 people arrested (5 more were arrested in June this year) was accused of assaulting a police officer who was arresting one of the other activists; more of them were charged with 'violent disorder' which seems to be a catch-all.
The tools/implements you referenced were in one of the linked reports - although it looks as if they were intended to be used to break in to the Elbit factory, one was used in the scuffle with police and factory security.
So I agree in this case the allegation was more than just breaking in and causing 'criminal damage' to an armaments factory. There might also be a charge of assault or ABH.
There were (and still are) existing laws that deal with those kind of incidents - without any need to label it terrorism or to use the full coercive power of the state to suppress direct action and intimidate protestors.Comment
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More violent terrorists stopped. These dangerous women won't be holding placards again!
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Re: Palestine Action
What a load of shit those police should have been on the streets for the real criminalsOriginally posted by jon1959 View PostComment
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Re: Palestine Action
The UK government’s ban on Palestine Action limits the rights and freedoms of people in the UK and is at odds with international law, the UN human rights chief has said.
Volker Türk, the UN human rights commissioner, said ministers’ decision to designate the group a terrorist organisation was “disproportionate and unnecessary” and called on them to rescind it.
In a statement on Friday, he said the ban amounted to an “impermissible restriction” of people’s rights to freedom of expression and assembly that was “at odds with the UK’s obligations under international human rights law”.
He added that the decision restricted the rights of people involved with Palestine Action “who have not themselves engaged in any underlying criminal activity but rather exercised their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association”.
Türk said it could “lead to further chilling effect on the lawful exercise of these rights by many people” and that the UK government should halt any police and legal proceedings against protesters who have been arrested on the basis of the proscription.
The Guardian has contacted the Home Office for comment.
Dozens of people have been arrested for holding placards in support of Palestine Action since the group was proscribed on 5 July.
In a case reported by the Guardian on Thursday, an 80-year-old woman from Somerset was arrested for holding a placard at a pro-Palestine rally and was held by police for almost 27 hours, with officers forcing their way into her house and searching it.
Marianne Sorrell said she felt “very traumatised” after officers removed 19 items from her home, including iPads, a Palestine flag, books on Palestine, material related to Extinction Rebellion and the climate crisis, as well as drumsticks for – and a belt that holds – her samba drum.
In another case, armed police threatened to arrest a 42-year-old woman, Laura Murton, in Kent, for supporting a proscribed organisation because she was holding a Palestinian flag and had signs saying “Free Gaza” and “Israel is committing genocide”.
Several UN experts, civil liberties groups, cultural figures and hundreds of lawyers have condemned the ban as draconian and said it sets a dangerous precedent by conflating protest with terrorism. Concern has also been expressed by some Home Office staff.
Ministers proscribed the group under the Terrorism Act 2000 after some of its members broke into a military airfield in June and spray-painted two RAF aircraft. The ban means that being a member of Palestine Action or inviting support for it carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
Palestine Action is the first direct action protest group to be banned under the Terrorism Act, placing it in the same category as Islamic State, al-Qaida and the far-right group National Action.
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