At least four people from Brighton and Hove were arrested during a demo outside a London court where more than 2,000 cases related to support for Palestine Action were due to be heard.
The four were among several protesters who travelled up together from Brighton to Westminster Magistrates’ Court – either for their case or in support of others last Thursday (30 July).
On the day, the Metropolitan Police said that 152 people were arrested.
The arrests were made as Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori learnt that she could take her own case to the Supreme Court after Court of Appeal judges ruled that the group’s ban was lawful.
One of those who travelled up from Brighton said that people were either backing Palestine Action and their opposition to the huge loss of life in Gaza.
Others went to protest about the government using anti-terror laws to ban an organisation that, they said, aims to prevent genocide.
One said: “Protesters believe that the government, by banning Palestine Action, is trying to silence criticism and challenge at the behest of the arms industry.
“The majority of supporters support peaceful direct action and a few are willing to undertake criminal damage to the property of those companies involved in the supply of arms to the Israeli state.
“Similar action was taken by women who vandalised aeroplanes destined to support genocide perpetrated by the Indonesian state and the court decided that their actions were justified.
“According to police, 152 people were arrested, mostly under section 12 (of the Terrorism Act 2000). There were at least four people from Brighton and Hove among this number.
“They seem to have been quickly processed and released without interview which is surprising given the serious nature of the charge.”
Section 12 makes it an offence to invite support for a proscribed organisation such as Palestine Action or to express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation.
One of those travelling to London, the playwright Paddy O’Keeffe, has been arrested four times so far although has yet to be charged.
He said: “I will say publicly that I am a supporter and a member of Palestine Action and I encourage you to do the same. Saving lives is not a crime.”
Ian MacIntyre, from Hanover, has been arrested twice. He has been released under investigation once and is awaiting a plea hearing in court in relation the other arrest.
He said: “I am going up to continue to oppose genocide and challenge the creeping and chilling effect of terror legislation which seeks to criminalise our hard-won rights of protest.”
Another Hanover resident, Martin Nicholls, has been arrested four times. On one occasion he was de-arrested. He has been released under investigation twice and bailed on one occasion to Plumstead Police Station.
He said: “Under international law, the government has a duty to take action against any state that is even suspected of committing war crimes.
“Our government is in fact materially supporting such a state. Therefore, it falls to us as citizens to take the necessary action.”
Carol Lawrence, also from Hanover, was arrested on Saturday 9 August last year and pleaded not guilty in court. Her trial date has been postponed and a new date is now pending. She was arrested again on Saturday 11 April and released under investigation.
She said: “I’ve been watching with horror on a daily basis. It is totally heartbreaking and it feels that there is so little we can do while our government is colluding with genocide and clamping down both to silence our protest and the efforts of others trying to stop the supply of British arms going off to kill innocent children in Gaza.”
Former Green councillor David Gibson, also from Hanover, was also arrested on Saturday 9 August last year. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a trial date.
He said: “Residents of Gaza have seen their homes flattened. Over 73,000 have been killed. They have experience real terror.
“The only people terrorised by Palestine Action are the arms suppliers to Israel and their supporters in national government.
“Voting rights for women, trade union rights, freedoms to protest and criticise authorities in the UK were won thanks to people willing to defy unjust laws for their beliefs.
“If the Terrorism Act continues to be abused to silence protest and protect arms supplies to a genocidal state then what abuse of state power will be next?”
Hundreds gathered outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court where more than 2,000 cases related to support for the group were due to be heard last Thursday.
But the courts service said that earlier in the week the cases had been adjourned to October to await the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal over the proscription of the group as a terrorism organisation.
Police detained scores of protesters who shouted: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
Marji Mansfield, 69, from Chichester, described the confusion around the court process as “very stressful”.
In a letter received from the court, she said that she had been told that she “must attend” for her first hearing, scheduled for last Thursday morning.
But the letter also said: “Please do not attend court on Thursday 30 July unless you receive further instructions directly from Westminster Magistrates’ Court.”
Ms Mansfield told the Press Association (PA): “It has been very difficult (managing) normal family life. I have grandchildren, a husband, children.
“It’s been very, very difficult. It’s been stressful. It’s been very expensive coming backwards and forwards, (with) sleepless nights.”
Tim Crosland, co-founder of activist group Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest last Thursday, said that people inside court were being handed flyers telling them that their cases had been adjourned.
He told PA: “When people have gone into the court … they’ve been handed flyers which say, ‘To whom it may concern, hearings today have been adjourned’.”
Mr Crosland, a former government lawyer, said: “I’ve been connected to the legal system for quite a long time. I have never witnessed anything like that before.”
He added: “That is not how courts communicate with people on trial. This is the clearest indication the system has no way of dealing with that – it is going to be chaos. This is falling at the first hurdle.”
The courts service said: “All defendants were written to in advance to advise them of the changes. We will continue to ensure all parties are kept fully informed about any future dates.”
The date change was made in the days leading up to Thursday, indicating an optimistic assessment of the efficiency of sending letters the post.
For many, their next hearing has been fixed for Monday 26 October although it is expected to be an administrative hearing rather than one that will decide the outcome of each case.
Lucy Letby style sentences.
The strategy is one of martyrdom. They know they will get arrested with this specific wording; because there are ways to talk about this issue that doesn’t run afoul of the law.
The Law seems to be being abused in this case. It is stifling debate and free-speech. I don’t see any Nigels being Ticed into supporting open scrutiny!
Does seem a lot of shouty socialists live in Hanover.
you forgot the word ‘antisemites’
These brave people are opposing genocide; genocide is internationally illegal. These people are doing what governments all over the world should be doing. They are not anti semitic – many Jewish people attend anti-genocide protests, so many in fact that there is always a Jewish bloc at the big London protests. Zionism and Judaism are diametrically opposed.
With the early release of violent criminals in mind, surely it would be bizarre to send peaceful protestors opposing genocide by the IDF to prison.
In my mind, prison is for people who are a danger to society. With that in mind, I tend to agree there is no purpose of prison here.