Grandmothers arrested at Palestine protest ‘robustly deny any criminal offence'
Ms Pentel, 72, was detained by officers along with Martine McCullough, aged in her 50s, on May 24 while protesting outside the bank in Castle Place over an incident at a previous protest at the bank on April 26.
The two attended Musgrave Street police station in Belfast city centre on Wednesday morning for the pre-arranged interview under caution.
Martine McCullough and Sue Pentel and their solicitor Padraig O Muirigh arrive at Musgrave Street police station in Belfast for a police interview (Rebecca Black/PA)
Fellow campaigners staged a protest in solidarity with the women outside the station, with applause and calls of 'we're with you' as they arrived.
Solicitor Padraig O Muirigh, who represents the two women, said they 'robustly deny that they have committed any criminal offence'.
'Our clients have been involved in peaceful protests against the ongoing genocide in Gaza which has been ongoing now for 628 days,' he said.
'Today's interviews under caution follow their arrests on the 24th May 2025.
'My clients robustly deny that they have committed any criminal offence and maintain that they should not be subjected to criminal investigations for exercising their right to peaceful protest against the atrocities being committed in Gaza.'
He added: 'Our clients will robustly contest their innocence and defend their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of assembly and expression if a decision is made to prosecute them.'
Jewish grandmother Ms Pentel is a high-profile campaigner against Israel's military offensive on Gaza.
Videos circulated online of the arrest of Ms Pentel indicate the alleged offence related to the placing of stickers on the bank's ATM machine.
Barclays has been a target for pro-Palestine protesters who claim the bank is linked to companies supplying weapons to Israel.
Barclays has previously addressed the criticism, saying it provides financial services to nine defence companies supplying Israel but does not directly invest in such firms.
The bank has said it has become the target of a disinformation campaign over its ties to defence companies.
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Ms Pentel said they are 'proud to peacefully protest outside Barclays'.
'We've been doing it for the last eight months,' she said.
'To protest the genocide, to protest the violence, to protest the way that Israel feels its OK to starve children, to stop humanitarian aid while the world looks on.
'Well, we won't look on, we won't remain silent.'
Sue Pentel and Martine McCullough (Rebecca Black/PA)
She added: 'We understand that we've been asked to be interviewed under caution, and we're voluntarily going in about an incident on April 26 and all we can say is we're proud to demonstrate with our amazing colleagues every week outside Barclays.
'We have the right to peacefully protest, we want to thank our solicitor Padraig O Muirigh for his time and advice.
'We have the right to peacefully protest and we will continue to do it until the genocide stops.
'We're two grandmothers, when our grandchildren ask us what we did, we know what we'll say, we stood up, we spoke out, we weren't silent, and as a Jewish person I am absolutely ashamed of anybody either Israeli Jewish or London Jewish or wherever who doesn't stand up and who thinks this is OK.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
University where students and staff were exposed to antisemitism promises action
Goldsmiths, University of London said an independent inquiry into how it dealt with the issue painted a 'disturbing picture'. The inquiry, led by Mohinderpal Sethi KC, found the university could have done more, and that its processes and protocols were inadequate. A significant increase in antisemitic incidents on UK university campuses has been reported in recent years. The Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitism, recorded 145 antisemitic incidents linked to students and universities across the UK in 2024. The Council and Executive Board of Goldsmiths fully endorsed the inquiry's findings, but said its strategy would still protect legitimate political protest at the university. The university said it would begin a two-year antisemitism action plan, building a 'culture of belonging for all Jewish students and staff'. Professor Frances Corner, vice-chancellor of the university said: 'Antisemitism has no place at Goldsmiths. 'As with all forms of racism, antisemitism prevents people from entering, enjoying and contributing fully to our university. 'The inquiry sets out a disturbing picture and I am sorry that our community and culture fell short of the behaviours we expect. 'The report rightly states that we owe it to former, current and future Jewish students and staff to learn from our mistakes. 'Today we commit to lasting cultural change with respect to Jewish students and staff, and for all religions and beliefs, drawing on our intellectual heritage and our longstanding belief in social justice.' The inquiry was commissioned in 2023 by Goldsmiths' Council, the university's governing body, to determine whether Jewish students or staff had experienced antisemitism. It accepted its findings in full. Tom Sleigh, chairman of Goldsmiths' Council, said: 'With antisemitism sadly shown to have risen across the university sector, reflecting a broader increase across society, the report was commissioned to have a clear picture of the situation at Goldsmiths. 'Thank you to all who contributed evidence to the inquiry and participated in any way.'
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Ministers discuss welfare concessions amid looming Labour rebellion
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said talks with backbenchers were 'ongoing' amid a looming revolt over the welfare Bill, which she insisted is set to come before the Commons on Tuesday. Some 120 Labour MPs have put their names to a bid to block the legislation in its tracks, arguing that disabled people have not been properly consulted about the plans and further scrutiny is required before making any changes. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had earlier indicated he was not willing to compromise over the plans (Ben Stansall/PA) Asked what concessions could be offered to convince rebels to back the Bill, Ms Rayner sought to reassure backbenchers that they would not be expected to betray the party's traditional values. 'I'm not going to get into that on your show tonight,' she said in an interview on ITV's Peston programme. 'Those discussions are ongoing around making sure that the welfare reforms that we're bringing in support people into work who need that, and we're putting a huge amount of investment into doing that, but also protecting the most vulnerable.' She acknowledged that 'a lot of people are very scared about these changes' but added: 'I haven't changed my Labour values and we're not expecting our benches to do anything that isn't in check with them. 'What we want to do is support people, and that is the crucial bit around these reforms of what Labour are trying to achieve, and we're discussing that with our MPs.' Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who has already taken steps to soften the impact of the welfare Bill, has been locked in talks with backbenchers as she seeks to talk round those opposed to the measures. The plans restrict eligibility for personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limit the sickness-related element of universal credit, with the aim of getting more people back into work and saving up to £5 billion a year. Existing claimants will be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support, a move seen as a bid to head off opposition. But the fact so many Labour MPs are prepared to put their names to the 'reasoned amendment' calling for a change of course shows how entrenched the opposition remains. One backbencher preparing to vote against the Bill told the PA news agency: 'A lot of people have been saying they're upset about this for months. To leave it until a few days before the vote, it's not a very good way of running the country. 'It's not very grown up.' They said that minor concessions would not be enough, warning: 'I don't think you can tinker with this. They need to go back to the drawing board.' Earlier on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer defended his leadership against accusations he had misjudged the mood in his party, insisting he is 'comfortable with reading the room'. At a press conference at the Nato summit in The Hague, the Prime Minister said: 'Is it tough going? Are there plenty of people and noises off? Yes, of course, there always are, there always have been, there always will be. 'But the important thing is to focus on the change that we want to bring about.' Ms Rayner earlier told MPs in the Commons the vote will take place as planned despite the rebellion, saying: 'We will go ahead on Tuesday.' The Prime Minister had earlier indicated he was not willing to compromise, telling reporters travelling with him to the Netherlands that he would 'press ahead' with the reforms which he says are needed to fix a broken system. Later on Wednesday, armed forces minister Luke Pollard echoed the Deputy Prime Minister, telling Sky News's Politics Hub show that 'of course' the Government was in talks about possibly making changes. 'Of course we are, and I think there's a concern that's very valid and real for lots of my colleagues. They're not doing this to cause trouble or be argumentative,' he said. 'They're doing it because they have a genuine, heartfelt concern about some of the impacts. ' He said some of the reforms would be supported across the party but 'where there is concerns … those discussions will continue until the vote and beyond.' Social security minister Sir Stephen Timms said he was 'looking forward to the debate' next week. He told the Commons Work and Pensions Committee the changes need to be made urgently to cut the spiralling welfare bill. Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams, who is one of the Labour MPs to have signed the amendment to block the legislation, asked why the provisions within the Bill had not been consulted on. Sir Stephen said: 'Essentially because of the urgency of the changes needing to be made.' He said the cost of Pip had gone up from £12 billion before the pandemic to £22 billion last year 'and that is not a sustainable trajectory'. Setting out the impact of the reforms, he told the vommittee 370,000 people getting Pip under the current system would not be receiving it by the end of the decade. Other senior Labour figures outside Parliament, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, have also publicly expressed their opposition to the plans. Meanwhile, the Tories seem unlikely to lend the Government their support, with leader Kemi Badenoch setting out conditions for doing so including a commitment to rule out tax rises in the autumn budget and further cut the benefits bill.
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Andy Murray plans to keep his kids away from ‘damaging' social media
Murray is the latest high-profile player in the sport to open up about the topic, following Katie Boulter's revelation that she receives vile social media abuse, including death threats. Former world number one Murray does not want any of his four children aged between nine and four exposed to it for as long as possible. British number two Katie Boulter revealed she has received death threats on social media (Bradley Collyer/PA) The 38-year-old told the BBC: 'I think it's positive any time anyone can speak out about it. It's great that (Katie) talked about it. 'Athletes across all sports have been discussing this for a long time, but it hasn't really changed. Hopefully something can get done soon.' Asked what can be done to stop athletes receiving abuse, he said: 'If I'm being honest I don't know. "Everyone – betting operators, social media platforms, governing bodies, players and law enforcers – has a responsibility to make the online space a safer and more positive one." Findings from the first season-wide report reveal the scale of abuse players face on social media. — wta (@WTA) June 17, 2025 'Me and my wife are trying to keep our children off social media until they are much older, because I think it can be pretty damaging. 'I don't know whose responsibility it is, I don't know if the government needs to do more to tackle it, or (X owner) Elon Musk and people like that can do more to stop these messages getting through to individuals. 'I don't mean just athletes, but then you get into the whole debate around free speech and it's a difficult one.'
