Protests against Palestine Action ban to continue ‘until November'
Defend Our Juries said more than 500 people have committed to risking arrest by holding 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' signs on Saturday afternoon in London's Parliament Square.
The campaign group said the protest in the capital is the only action it is organising on Saturday, but added that there could be 'other actions in solidarity' which are independently organised.
A High Court ruling, last week, decided that Palestine Action's co-founder Huda Ammori had several 'reasonably arguable' beliefs in her challenge over the group's ban that would be heard at a three-day hearing in November, but a bid to pause the ban temporarily was refused.
The ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Defend Our Juries spokesman Tim Crosland said: 'There will be more actions to come in September and October until the law is struck down, as we believe it will be in November at the High Court.'
Mr Crosland said Defend Our Juries had received legal advice that claims against the police 'for unlawful arrest and for trespass to people's property' could be possible if the High Court rules in Palestine Action's favour.
The Metropolitan Police has warned that anyone found to be expressing support for Palestine Action on Saturday 'can expect to be arrested'.
More than 200 people were arrested at a wave of protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month as part of the campaign co-ordinated by Defend Our Juries.
Mr Crosland said police forces were in 'disarray' over their handling of the protests, adding that no protesters had yet been charged.
He added: 'Nobody has been charged, it's important to say. And there's a sense that there aren't going to be any charges until the other side of the judicial review.'
Discussing the arrests, Mr Crosland said: 'In Derry, in Edinburgh, Kendal, Chichester, police have left people be – it shows they can exercise common sense if they want to.
'In London, people have been arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, which is the lesser of the two possible charges, and somewhere between six and 12 hours after a police interview in the police cells, people have been arrested without charge.
'In Cardiff, people were arrested under Section 12, which is an offence punishable with 14 years' imprisonment – doing exactly the same thing, holding the same sign, quietly sitting – they were held in police custody beyond the 24-hour maximum. The time was extended under the terrorism laws while those people's houses were raided.'
Palestine Action co-founder Ms Ammori said the campaign by Defend Our Juries had been 'crucial' in winning a bid to bring a High Court challenge over the group's ban.
Ms Ammori told the press conference: 'It was a major factor in the judge's decision when he decided to give us permission because hundreds of people had already been arrested who will then potentially go through the criminal court system, and the judicial review will allow an authoritative decision to be made by the High Court.
'If that is successful, it would mean that the order was unlawful from the moment the decision was made to implement it, and all subsequent arrests were also unlawful.'
A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system.
'The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests.
'While we will not go into the specific details of our plan, the public can be assured that we will have the resources and processes in place to respond to any eventuality.
'Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription.
'Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.'
The move to ban Palestine Action came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, which police said caused about £7 million worth of damage.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action three days later, saying the vandalism of the planes was 'disgraceful' and the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'.
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