UK lost the plot
UK prosecutors target 60 supporters of banned Palestine Action group
At least 60 people will be prosecuted for “showing support” for the recently proscribed Palestine Action group, in addition to three already charged, London’s Metropolitan Police has said.
“We have put arrangements in place that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary,” the Met said in a statement.
More than 700 people have been arrested since it was banned under anti-terrorism legislation in early July, including 522 people arrested at a protest last weekend for displaying placards backing the group – thought to be the highest ever recorded number of detentions at a single protest in the UK capital.
“The decisions that we have announced today are the first significant numbers to come out of the recent protests, and many more can be expected in the next few weeks,” said Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson.
“People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action,” said Parkinson.
I'm pretty damn sure the cost of the vandalism of PA is far less than this whole fascist circus. However the real cost to the regime is the exposure of their complicity, that's worth throwing UK's right to free speech away for...
UK human rights body expresses concerns over policing of Gaza protests
The warning comes amid broader police operations targeting protesters who openly support Palestine Action, which is illegal given the group’s banned status.
In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recognised the “particular challenges and tensions” facing officers but stressed that the right to protest is “a cornerstone of any healthy democracy” and protected under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
“Blanket approaches risk creating a chilling effect,” it added.
As an example, it cited the case of Laura Murton, who was reportedly threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act by Kent Police for waving a Palestinian flag and holding signs reading “Free Gaza” and “Israel is committing genocide”.
EHCR Chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner issued a warning, saying “heavy-handed policing or blanket approaches risk creating a chilling effect, deterring citizens from exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly through fear of possible consequences”.
