In London, the police arrested at least 200 people on Saturday who protested against the ban on the Palestine Action action group, which the British government imposed in July. The police write on X: “It will take a while, but we will arrest everyone who expresses their support for Palestine Action.” Due to the prohibition, it has become punishable to express support to the group, this can lead to a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
Due to a change in the law, Palestine Action, which mainly acts against the arms industry, is now seen as a terrorist organization. This happened after members of the action group burglaring at an Air Force Base and aircraft were protesting against British support for Israel.
Since then, people have taken to the streets against the ban. Earlier dozens of protesters have also been arrested. According to British media, the police warned that it is possible that arrested people will never be able to work in education again or will never travel to the United States again.
Nevertheless, dozens of people in London came together for the British parliament on Saturday. There were slogans such as ‘I support Palestine Action’ and ‘It is not a crime to take action against genocide’. According to the French news agency AFP, demonstrators who were arrested do not resist. They were taken away from others.
‘Disproportional’
Palestine Action received permission at the end of July to challenge the prohibition in court. According to lawyers of the action group, the prohibition is a violation of freedom of expression. The British government believes that the actions of the group are going too far and says it has “disturbing information” that is not public.
The UN human rights organization called the ban on the action group “disproportionate and unnecessary”. The organ finds That the British government abuses anti -terrorism legislation. “British legislation on the fight against terrorism is widely defines terrorist acts, and also includes” serious damage to property, “says UN human rights chief Volker Türk. According to international standards, there can only be terrorist acts in hostages and criminal actions that have the goal of death or serious injury, he says.
In the Netherlands, Extinction Rebellion takes action on Saturday against the prohibition of action group Palestine Action at the British embassy in The Hague.