Three people charged with showing support for Palestine Action
Two women and a man were arrested in Westminster following a protest in central London on July 5.
Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney, north-east London, were charged with showing support for a proscribed organisation under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 16.
The charges come ahead of a planned protest in support of the group on Saturday afternoon in London's Parliament Square, with organisers expecting more than 500 people to attend.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'Anyone who displays public support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, is committing an offence under the Terrorism Act and can expect to be arrested and, as these charges show, will be investigated to the full extent of the law.
'These charges relate to three people arrested in central London on July 5.
'We are also planning to send case files to the Crown Prosecution Service for the other 26 people arrested on the same day.
'I would strongly advise anyone planning to come to London this weekend to show support for Palestine Action to think about the potential criminal consequences of their actions.'
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Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Woman wearing Palestine Action T-shirt arrested in Belfast
It comes after the British Government in July made expressing support for or being a member of Palestine Action a criminal offence under terrorism legislation. In London, about 365 people were arrested for supporting the banned group after protesters gathered in Parliament Square on Saturday. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll (Claudia Savage/PA) In Belfast, videos shared online show a woman wearing a Palestine Action T-shirt being told by police officers she was being arrested on suspicion of 'possessing an article, namely a sign or T-shirt, that indicates support for Palestine Action'. Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International UK, Patrick Corrigan, said the protester's arrest was 'outrageous'. 'Peaceful protest is a basic human right,' he said. 'Many people are justifiably angered by the ongoing genocide in Gaza and are concerned about UK complicity. Under international human rights law, they have every right to voice their concerns. 'The individual who joined a Refugees Welcome rally in Belfast was not promoting violence, and it is wholly disproportionate for the PSNI to treat her as a terrorist. 'UK terrorism laws pose a serious risk to free expression. Rather than targeting peaceful protesters, the Government should be taking swift and decisive measures to end Israel's genocide.' Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll condemned police action against pro-Palestine activists. He called on Executive ministers to 'speak up for the right to protest' and dismiss any charges people may face. 'The whole world can see the mass starvation and daily executions carried out by Israel, yet the people being harassed in Belfast are those who stand up for Palestine,' Mr Carroll said. 'On the same day we saw far-right protesters with offensive and provocative signage, including pro-Israel items, the police took it upon themselves to arrest activists for having the temerity to wear items of clothing in solidarity action. 'The British Government implemented a regressive clampdown with their vote to proscribe Palestine Action, without a single vote being cast in the local Assembly.' Sinn Fein MLA for West Belfast Pat Sheehan said the British Government and PSNI's actions were 'disgraceful'. 'While Keir Starmer continues to enable the ongoing Israeli genocide and starvation of Gazans, he is also moving to silence ordinary, decent people for speaking out,' he said. 'Just yesterday, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu announced his intention to seize Gaza City. 'Yet still, Starmer provides cover for this rogue regime, instead targeting activists for highlighting what should be a universal moral outrage. 'Like all previous censorship attempts by the British Government, which is totally out of step with the wider public, this too will fail. 'Highlighting the ongoing devastation in Gaza is not a crime. The real crime is Israel's policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide, aided and abetted by the US and Britain.' The PSNI has been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hellbent on arrest, more than 360 activists of outlawed Palestine Action goad police to detain them - at cost of up to £3million for taxpayers
Militant protesters were accused of a 'colossal' waste of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money after more than 360 deliberately forced police to arrest them by brandishing signs supporting the outlawed group Palestine Action. During a day of chaos and farce, Left-wing activists swamped Parliament Square in London today in support of the organisation, which was proscribed by the Government last month as a terrorist group. Hundreds held placards declaring 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action' in deliberate acts of law-breaking designed to overwhelm police resources and the courts. By 6pm police had arrested 365 people for supporting a proscribed organisation and seven others, including five for assaulting police officers. More than 850 officers were deployed on the huge operation, including 120 drafted in to bolster the Met from Wales, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. Officers endured a torrent of abuse as they made arrests, with demonstrators screaming 'shame on you', 'terrorists' and 'fascist scum'. Violent scuffles broke out as officers attempted to lead those arrested away. The Met said that none of its officers was seriously injured. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp estimated that the police operation and subsequent legal costs to prosecute those arrested, including court time and legal aid, could cost taxpayers up to £3 million. The cost comes on top of the more than £53 million that the Met has already spent policing pro-Palestine protests in central London since the October 7 attacks against Israel in 2023. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Mr Philp said: 'When you take into account the policing costs today and how much lengthy prosecutions and court processes will cost, the final bill for today's idiotic stunt could be as much as £3 million. This is money that could have been spent catching drug dealers, gang members, phone thieves and shoplifters. 'Those supporting a banned organisation should feel the full force of the law. Palestine Action is a violent group that seeks to impose its views on others through force. They smash up property, vandalise RAF planes and have even attacked a police officer with a sledgehammer. 'Those illegally supporting Palestine Action are supporting political violence.' To prevent London's police cells from being overwhelmed, the Met established a so-called 'prisoner- processing point' in nearby King Charles Street. Under three gazebos, arrested activists were asked for their names and addresses and had their fingerprints taken. They were then bailed and told to return to a police station at a future date. Some, however, immediately returned to the protest on Parliament Square and were re-arrested for breaching their bail conditions. Richard Roques, 69, from London, was among the first to be arrested on the edge of Parliament Square. He had brought a placard with the words 'I support' written on it. At 1pm he added the words 'Palestine Action', prompting his arrest minutes later. At 1.53pm he was arrested for a second time for returning to the protest and allegedly breaching his bail conditions. Moazzam Beg, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, was also among those arrested yesterday afternoon. He had been detained by US authorities between 2002 and 2005 before his release without charge. The protest began at 1pm today when hundreds of activists sat down and silently held the illegal placards. Defend Our Juries, which organised yesterday's protest, claimed that between 600 and 700 protested by holding the signs. The Met, however, said that, while between 500 and 600 people were in Parliament Square 'many were onlookers, media or people not holding placards'. First to be arrested was William Hancock from Kingston upon Thames. Speaking to the MoS, he said: 'I had a sign that said I support Palestine Action.' He was followed by Ian Mursell, 73, from Battersea, whose arrest was witnessed by his son Phillip. Designer Theresa Jordan, 45, said she would refuse to co-operate with police as she was led away. At 2.17pm seven officers arrested a blind man in a wheelchair who told the MoS his name was 'Mike'. Dozens of protesters followed the officers chanting 'no justice, no peace, no fascist police'. One woman screamed 'you are f****** disgusting, you are fascist scum' at the officers. Some activists said they had previously been arrested while demonstrating for eco-militant groups such as Just Stop Oil. There were also ugly scenes on Whitehall as those arrested were led – and in some cases carried by their arms and legs – to the temporary processing centre, with a hostile crowd pushing and shoving officers. A middle-aged man was pushed to the ground by officers as he fought against them. Another march, organised by separate group the Palestine Coalition, assembled on Whitehall. The Met said one person had been arrested. Legislation to proscribe Palestine Action made it a criminal offence to show support for the organisation, carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said tonight: 'Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.' arrested or is in the process of being arrested.'
Reuters
9 hours ago
- Reuters
UK police arrest more than 466 at protest for banned Palestine Action group
LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - London's Metropolitan Police arrested more than 466 people at a protest on Saturday against Britain's decision to ban the group Palestine Action, the force said. British lawmakers banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged planes as part of a series of protests. The group accuses Britain's government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Protesters, some wearing black and white Palestinian scarves and waving Palestinian flags, chanted "hands off Gaza", and held placards with the message "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action", video taken by Reuters at the scene showed. Israel has faced accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and from human rights groups over its devastating military assault in Gaza. Israel denies the accusations and casts its offensive as self-defense after a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. The Reuters video showed demonstrators who had gathered in Parliament Square by the Houses of Parliament being carried away by police. The crowd chanted "shame on you" at the police. In a post on X, the police force said it had arrested 466 people for supporting a proscribed organisation. It also arrested eight people for other offences including five arrests for assaults on officers. The police said no one was seriously injured. The ban makes it a crime to be a member of Palestine Action, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The co-founder of the group, Huda Ammori, last week won a bid to bring a legal challenge against the ban.
