Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty dons 'Palestine Action' top at Fringe
The design is such that at a glance, the slogan could be taken to read 'Palestine Action'. Wearing clothing with the group's branding or name can result in a six month prison sentence under terror laws.
Palestine Action were proscribed under the Terrorism Act in an unprecedented step against a protest group earlier this year after vandalising RAF planes.
The screenwriter, who grew up in Wigtown, wore the T-shirt at an "In Conversation" event in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
Writing in The National, Laverty said: 'All the palaver over a black T-shirt with the words 'Genocide in Gaza, time to Take Action': it's truly mind-boggling that hundreds may have been arrested, and some face terrorism charges for wearing this shirt.'
Accusing UK Government ministers of having 'colluded with genocide', Laverty said: 'No doubt they will have teams of legal experts to argue otherwise.
READ MORE: David Lammy broke law while fishing with JD Vance
'But in the court of public opinion who will ever forget Starmer's very first interview justifying the cutting off food and water to the entire population of Gaza? Who will forget Foreign Secretary Lammy at the dispatch box denying that Genocide was happening in Gaza, and Starmer too.
'It is vital to remember that the Labour Government did not revoke arms licences to Israel until September of 2024, long after tens of thousands of innocents had been bombed.'
He added: 'Nothing this UK Government does, even with their revocation of arms licences, impinges on the genocide machine as it continues to murder the starving. Critically, there is no mention of support for the Boycott and Divestment Campaign which could make a difference.
'And shamefully, not one UK Cabinet member can say seven simple words: 'Genocide in Gaza, time to Take Action'.
'One day, when it all comes out, as it will, we will look back in horror and ask how it all unfolded. Western collusion will haunt us.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
20 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Another 60 people to be prosecuted for ‘showing support for Palestine Action'
The force said this follows the arrest of more than 700 people since the group was banned on July 5, including 522 in central London last Saturday. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks, and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. Last week, the Met confirmed the first three charges in England and Wales for offences against Section 13 of the Terrorism Act relating to Palestine Action. The three people charged were arrested at a protest in Parliament Square on July 5. Palestine Action was proscribed in July after the group claimed responsibility for damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton and was also linked to allegations of a serious assault on staff and police officers at a business premises in south Gloucestershire, the force said. Last weekend in central London 15,000 people demonstrated peacefully in support of the Palestinian cause with only one arrest, police said, adding that 522 were arrested 'for an illegal show of support for Palestine Action on the same day'. Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions, said: '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. We are ready to make swift decisions in all cases where arrests have been made. 'The public has a democratic right to protest peacefully in this country, and I understand the depth of feeling around the horrific scenes in Gaza. 'However, Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation and those who have chosen to break the law will be subject to criminal proceedings under the Terrorism Act. 'When protest conduct crosses the line from lawful activity into criminality, we have a duty to enforce the law. 'People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action. A terrorism conviction can severely impact your life and career – it can restrict your ability to travel overseas and work in certain professions. 'I urge people to think very carefully about their actions at protests. Anyone who chooses to disobey the law will have to face the consequences.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: 'I am proud of how our police and CPS teams have worked so speedily together to overcome misguided attempts to overwhelm the justice system. 'If necessary, we are able to investigate and quickly charge significant numbers of people each week if people want the potentially life-changing consequences of a terrorist conviction. 'At the same time, we will continue to police the numerous protests each week where people express their views in support of Palestine without choosing to break counter-terrorism laws by supporting proscribed terror groups. 'To be clear, these arrests and prosecutions do not outlaw people's right to demonstrate in support of Palestine, or any other cause. 'They are simply the enforcement of a specific provision under the Terrorism Act (Tact) in relation to a specific proscribed terrorist organisation, Palestine Action. 'Where officers see these offences, we will continue to make arrests and, as shown today, the CPS and police will work to quickly secure charges, at whatever scale is necessary.' The Met said the consequences for those charged under the Terrorism Act include:– A maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment;– The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will have a record of a person's TACT conviction, and this will be seen by employers who use DBS to carry out checks on staff or new applicants;– Universities also carry out DBS checks, and may refuse entry to courses;– A Tact conviction will be a potential bar to entry to countries including the US, Australia, Japan and, from 2026 when the ETIAS system is introduced, countries of the European Union;– If a person is a member of a professional body, they may face disciplinary proceedings and potentially removal from the profession.
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
Dozens to be prosecuted for supporting terror group Palestine Action after hundreds were arrested in protests
COPS have charged a further 60 people for supporting Palestine Action after more than 700 arrests. The group was proscribed last month after they took credit for vandalising two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, in an alleged £7million attack. 3 3 3 Palestine Action have also been linked to claims of serious assault on staff and police officers at a business in South Gloucestershire. Since proscription, it is a criminal offence to show support for the group - carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years. This comes after more than 15,000 people held a peaceful protest in London last weekend to support Palestine, where only one person was arrested. But cop s later detained 522 people who were illegally supporting Palestine Action. Five others were arrested for assaulting police officers, two for breaching public order conditions and one for racially aggravated public order. Organisers Defend Our Juries said up to 700 people were at the event in Parliament Square, with police preparing for the "largest mass arrest in their history". It turned out to be an even higher number of arrests made by the Metropolitan Police at a single protest than the poll tax riots of 1990, when 339 people were arrested. Clusters of officers could be seen holding people sat on the edge of the grass and escorting them through crowds to police vans. One man, who appeared to be in his 50s, was arrested after he entered a large group of police holding a homemade sign reading "I support Palestine Action". He was marched away by a group of nine cops. Record number arrested at Palestine Action protest as demonstrators bring chaos to London People waving Palestinian flags and signs reading "stop the genocide" continued to gather in the main square despite the risk of arrest. Another pair of protesters holding handwritten pro-Palestine Action banners sat on the statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett. They were later arrested and carried away by police officers. As they were carried away the crowd shouted "shame on you". Three retired doctors in scrubs lay and sat holding signs in support of the controversial group - police surrounded them and arrested a woman, carrying her away through the crowd. Another was later carried away, with officers having to fight through an angry crowd. The mass protest comes only days after the first three people to be charged with supporting the group were publicly named as Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, also 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53. Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: '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. We are ready to make swift decisions in all cases where arrests have been made. 'The public has a democratic right to protest peacefully in this country, and I understand the depth of feeling around the horrific scenes in Gaza. 'However, Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation and those who have chosen to break the law will be subject to criminal proceedings under the Terrorism Act. 'When protest conduct crosses the line from lawful activity into criminality, we have a duty to enforce the law. 'People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action. A terrorism conviction can severely impact your life and career – it can restrict your ability to travel overseas and work in certain professions. 'I urge people to think very carefully about their actions at protests. Anyone who chooses to disobey the law will have to face the consequences.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley added: 'I am proud of how our police and CPS teams have worked so speedily together to overcome misguided attempts to overwhelm the justice system. If necessary, we are able to investigate and quickly charge significant numbers of people each week if people want the potentially life-changing consequences of a terrorist conviction. 'At the same time, we will continue to police the numerous protests each week where people express their views in support of Palestine without choosing to break Counter Terrorism Laws by supporting proscribed terror groups. 'To be clear, these arrests and prosecutions do not outlaw people's right to demonstrate in support of Palestine, or any other cause. They are simply the enforcement of a specific provision under the Terrorism Act in relation to a specific proscribed terrorist organisation, Palestine Action. 'Where officers see these offences, we will continue to make arrests and, as shown today, the CPS and police will work to quickly secure charges, at whatever scale is necessary.' A Home Office spokesperson said in a previous statement: "The Home Secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights. "It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues." Consequences of Terrorism Act offences Source; Met Police •A maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment. •The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will have a record of a person's TACT conviction, and this will be seen by employers who use DBS to carry out checks on staff or new applicants. The existence of a TACT conviction may be seen by employers as grounds for a refusal to employ a person or to dismiss them. •Universities also carry out DBS checks, and may refuse entry to courses to those with terrorism convictions. •Any application to visit another country usually requires a declaration of criminal convictions. A TACT conviction will be a potential bar to entry to countries including the US, Australia, Japan, and from 2026 when the ETIAS system is introduced, countries of the European Union. •If a person is a member of a professional body, they may face disciplinary proceedings and potentially removal from the profession.
Rhyl Journal
39 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Britain's rights watchdog warns against heavy-handed policing amid Gaza demos
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to remind them that the 'right to protest is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy'. The letter, from EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner, raised concerns about 'reports of police engagement with individuals participating in forms of protest that are not linked to any proscribed organisation'. The commission referenced a report by the Guardian newspaper about a woman said to have been threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for holding a Palestinian flag and signs saying 'Free Gaza' and 'Israel is committing genocide'. The woman was reportedly told by police that her demonstration in Canterbury, Kent, in July expressed views supportive of Palestine Action, an organisation which has been banned by the Government. The woman said neither of her signs mentioned Palestine Action and that she had told police she did not support any proscribed organisations. Kent Police confirmed it had 'received correspondence from a legal firm representing a person spoken to by officers in Canterbury on July 14 2025' after the Guardian reported the woman is taking legal action against the force. Baroness Falkner said any interference with protest rights 'must be lawful and assessed case-by-case'. She added: '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. 'This concern extends beyond those directly affected by police engagement to the broader health of our democracy, because the perception that peaceful protest may attract disproportionate police attention undermines confidence in our human rights protections.' The EHRC said Government and police authorities must 'ensure that all officers receive clear and consistent guidance on their human rights obligations' when it comes to protests. 'This guidance should ensure that the appropriate balance is maintained between public safety and the protection of essential human rights,' Baroness Falkner added. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. More than 500 people were arrested last weekend on suspicion of displaying an item in support of a proscribed group, as demonstrations took place in central London. Downing Street has described Palestine Action as 'violent' and said it has committed 'significant injury' as well as criminal damage, adding that evidence and security assessments shared in closed court supported its proscription. Palestine Action said Downing Street's accusations were 'false and defamatory' and 'disproven by the Government's own intelligence assessment'. Asked for their response to the EHRC letter, the Home Office referred to Ms Cooper's previous statement about last week's march, in which she said: 'The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation.' The Metropolitan Police declined to comment when asked for their response to the letter. Meanwhile, campaigners including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Quakers in Britain have written to the Attorney General asking for prosecution decisions of those arrested at the London march at the weekend to be delayed until after further legal action over Palestine Action's proscription. A High Court hearing is set to take place in November challenging the group's ban as a terror organisation. In their letter to Attorney General Richard Hermer, the groups argued that 'prosecuting individuals for offences connected to that proscription before the court has determined its legality raises significant legal and moral questions' and said delaying prosecution decisions 'would demonstrate restraint, fairness and respect for the ongoing legal process'. The Attorney General's office has been contacted for comment. Separately, the Liberal Democrat party's home affairs spokeswoman, Lisa Smart, has written to the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Jonathan Hall, calling on him to review part of the Terrorism Act, to assess whether it is being used correctly or if it 'requires amendment to prevent misuse in future'. She said: 'Acts of terrorism, antisemitic hate and violence, and violent disorder should all be punished to the fullest extent of the law and are totally unacceptable. 'It is right that the police already have the powers to make clear to organisations and individuals that we, as a society, will not stand for it and the consequences will be serious. 'In the case of arresting hundreds of peaceful protesters not engaging in these actions, in a country that prides itself on democratic debate, these measures appear disproportionate. 'The Conservatives clamped down on the right to protest peacefully and this Labour Government now risks doing the same.'
