On Saturday, 150,000-strong protest descended on London to denounce the UK government’s proscription of Palestine Action. As a direct consequence, police unlawfully arrested 522 people, smashing the previous 2017 winner for the most arrests at one protest in the British capital. On July 5, authorities implemented the ban using powers under the Terrorism Act 2000. Under this law, providing membership or support for Palestine Action, for instance, could be made a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. That decision has been met with a firestorm of protest. Activists across the UK are mobilizing in response to the UK’s indirect military support for Israel in this ongoing, unequal escalation of war in Gaza.
It was the recent break-in at an air force base in southern England that triggered the protests. Palestine Action is responsible for this incident, which resulted in an estimated £7 million ($9.4 million) worth of damage to two planes. This attack was the main reason that led the UK government to proscribe the organization. Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, said before the protests that these actions were going to happen regardless of the legal consequences.
Unprecedented Arrests
The sheer scale of arresting 300 people on Saturday not based on any crime is unprecedented even in the current warped face of protests in London. Among the 189 people detained were six teenagers and 112 people over 70 years old, including 15 octogenarians. People arrested were most recently reported by the FBI to be an average age of 54 years at the time of arrest. Perhaps most striking is the fact that about 30 of the arrestees had been arrested themselves from prior Palestine Action protests.
Eighteen people stayed in custody until Sunday lunchtime but were due to be released on bail soon after. The police have charged three activists for supporting Palestine Action when they joined a demonstration on July 5. These are the first criminal prosecutions under the new statute.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, made it very clear that the government will not compromise on any policies related to national security and public safety. She stated, “UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority,” and added that “the assessments are very clear – this is not a non-violent organisation.” The legality of the ban This statement reveals in black and white the government’s reasons for banning Palestine Action.
Activists Respond
Activists and supporters of Palestine Action have spoken out against the proposed ban. Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, criticized the government’s actions, stating, “If this was happening in another country, the UK government would be voicing grave concerns about freedom of speech and human rights.”
Hamid decried the impact of the ban on civil liberties. “We have now sunk low enough to turn the Met into thought police, direct action into terrorism,” she remarked. The increasing curtailment of our freedoms has activists more alarmed than ever. They argue that state government repression of dissent has played an alarming role in this emerging trend.
Huda Ammori articulated a powerful message about the protests, declaring they would “go down in our country’s history as a momentous act of collective defiance of an unprecedented attack on our fundamental freedoms.” This short quote is an amazing summation of the determination that drives everyone fighting the proposed national ban.
Coalition Voices
Stop the Hate set up the protests. This diverse coalition of groups was an attempt to bring prominent, diverse, and different voices together who care deeply about human rights and civil liberties. They asserted, “Regardless of our diverse political views, this is not a political issue – it is a human one.” The coalition raised an urgent demand: “We are united in one clear and urgent demand: the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
The outpouring of support for Palestine Action indicates a significant division within public opinion regarding state responses to activism and advocacy for Palestinian rights. While protests continue and legal challenges move through the courts, it is thrilling to watch as this crucial debate continues to develop in British society.
