Latest news with #DerryIPSC
Belfast Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Derry protestors who defy ban in support of Palestine Action accused of offences under Terrorism Act
It comes as more than 200 people have been arrested in central London at the largest demonstration relating to Palestine Action since the group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square for a demonstration organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries, who said 'approximately 1,000 sign-holders' had turned up. The government outlawed Palestine Action last month under terrorism laws, with membership carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said violence and criminal damage had no place in legitimate protest, and Palestine Action's activities, including breaking into an RAF base and spraying two aircraft with red paint, justified the ban. Palestine Action has increasingly targeted Israel-linked companies in Britain. It accuses the government of complicity in Israeli war crimes and genocide in Gaza. Derry IPSC (Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign) said some of its activists had letters hand-delivered from the PSNI on Friday evening. That came ahead of a protest in Guildhall Square to 'lift the ban on Palestine Action', where a group of protestors again defied the ban by holding signs that read: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' They included at least one of the Bloody Sunday families, while civil rights veteran Eamonn McCann was also in attendance. The PSNI said it has 'grounds to suspect they have committed offences contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000' during the 'Defend the Right to Protest' protests on July 19 and 26. Derry IPSC added: 'We wonder how many such notices have been given to all those carrying UVF flags in recent weeks. 'We won't be intimidated or dissuaded, they cannot arrest us all, we are all Palestine action! 'This hand delivered on a Friday night before our protest tomorrow clearly suggests they want to put people off joining us tomorrow, an obvious attempt at intimidation.' Israel's security cabinet backs plans to take over Gaza City A letter from the PSNI shows that the accused were invited to respond to an email address to arrange an interview as 'a voluntary attendee'. It adds: 'Failure to make contact with the police to arrange a suitable date for interview, within ten days of receipt of this letter, may result in you being reported to the Public Prosecution Service without the opportunity to provide your account.' This follows People Before Profit councillor in Derry, Shaun Harkin, being charged by the Public Prosecution Service for participating in a pro-Palestine protest. Shaun informed the PSNI he would not be accepting a PPS caution for participating in a Derry City Centre protest on the 17 February 2024 because he 'did nothing wrong and was prepared to go to court to prove this'. Mr Harkin said: "The people of Gaza are being starved to death and pushed into a Rafah concentration camp. 'Every action to stop the Gaza genocide is an act for humanity against barbarism. 'The PPS and the PSNI should be focused on identifying those in Westminster and Stormont who have incited support for Israel as it carries out war crimes and government bodies providing funding for business organisations to make parts for F-35 murder jets that are being used to kill tens of thousands of Palestinian children. 'Israel's supporters have lost all legitimacy. They can no longer defend or hide the barbarism they support, so they are trying to silence the mass global movement opposed to genocide.'
Belfast Telegraph
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
'Camp Gaza' organisers invite public along for 24-hour fundraiser in aid of Palestinians
The event was organised by Derry IPSC (Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign) who said it was an opportunity to 'turn our support into action and stand in unity under the stars for justice and peace.' It comes as Hamas says it has submitted to the mediators its response on a United States proposal for a Gaza ceasefire deal. Under the deal, 10 living Israeli captives held in Gaza will be freed and 18 bodies returned in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners, according to the group. The United Nations says the besieged Gaza Strip is the 'hungriest place on Earth', adding that the territory's entire 2.3 million people face 'catastrophic hunger'. Catherine Hutton from Derry IPSC posted a video online saying: 'We're down here at our camp out for Palestine today at Free Derry Corner. 'Please come along if you can, come and support us. We're raising money for Fund a Food Drop and also for the Hind Rajab Foundation and we'd love people to come along and join in and show some solidarity with us. 'You don't have to stay out all night, you can just come along and support us and if any of these are singers or musicians, if you would like to join us as well and share a few tunes with us. 'We have lots of merch here and we have tea, coffee and some food and plenty of people to sit and talk to and to share in the solidarity that we're showing today for the people of Gaza.' Councillors in attendance included Shaun Harkin from People Before Profit, Independent republican Gary Donnelly and Catherine McDaid from the SDLP. Mrs McDaid said: 'It shouldn't matter what your political beliefs are… We're all human and this is a genocide.' Veteran socialist and the man responsible for coining the phrase, 'You are now entering Free Derry' which was painted on the former gable wall, was in attendance too. Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 54,381 Palestinians and wounded 124,054, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The Government Media Office updated its death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of people missing under the rubble are presumed dead. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.
