Latest news with #FionaMaclean
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Metropolitan Police arrest more than 200 protesters at London demonstration defying Palestine Action ban
The Metropolitan Police have arrested more than 200 protesters in support of Palestine Action — despite the group being proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Organisers Defend Our Juries said up to 700 people, including Left-wing activists and Muslim community leaders, gathered in Westminster on Saturday afternoon in defiance of the ban. It came after the first three people to be charged with supporting Palestine Action in England and Wales were named. Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney in east London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 16. Today, a crowd sat on the grass inside Parliament Square holding placards which read 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action', with the vast majority remaining silent. Several others erected signs that read 'Palestine Action terrorises Britain while Hamas hides in hospitals, schools and mosques'. Prior to the protest on Parliament Square, the group claimed Scotland Yard were preparing for the "largest mass arrest in their history". Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, had urged members of the public to stay away from events supporting proscribed organisations. The Met said a "significant number of people" were seen "displaying placards expressing support for Palestine Action', with a further four detained for assaults on officers. Among those arrested included quakers, a blind wheelchair user and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg. As the gathering drew to a close at 4pm, police tightened their cordon around the remaining demonstrators, with one elderly man volunteering to be arrested next because of the wait. Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted 'shame on you' and 'pigs' at officers making arrests. Another march organised by the Palestine Coalition set off from Russell Square via Aldwych and the Strand and assembled on Whitehall. Meanwhile, activists from Greenpeace rebranded bus stops across the capital with posters reading: 'Protesting genocide is not terrorism.' A spokesman for Defend Our Juries said the protest was an "embarrassment" for Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, because the police were only able to detain 'a fraction' of those breaking the law. However, the Met denied claims made by the organisers, saying: 'After arrest, they were taken to prisoner processing points in the Westminster area. 'Those whose details could be confirmed were bailed, with conditions not to attend any further protest in support of Palestine Action. 'Those whose details were refused or could not be verified were taken to custody suites across London.' The Met has been forced to draw officers in from neighbouring constabularies to help form a 'significant policing presence' in the city this weekend. On Sunday, there will be a 'National March for the Hostages' in central London organised by the pro-Israeli collective Stop the Hate. This is a major embarrassment to Yvette Cooper Defend Our Juries In July, MPs voted to outlaw Palestine Action, meaning support for the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000. Palestine Action's website was also been blocked in the UK after a last-minute legal challenge to suspend the group's proscription failed. It comes after two Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint. The Home Office has defended the proscription, saying the move is 'not about Palestine' and does not affect the right to protest on Palestinian rights amid Israel's war against Hamas. A spokesman said: '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. 'The decision to proscribe was based on strong security advice and the unanimous recommendation by the expert cross-government proscription review group. 'This followed serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Three charged with showing support for Palestine Action ahead of weekend protest
The first people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action in England and Wales after the group was banned as a terror organisation, the Metropolitan Police said as the force insisted officers will arrest anyone supporting the group at a demonstration this weekend. 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 displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of 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. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people 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 force said it will be sending case files to the Crown Prosecution Service for 26 other people arrested on July 5. 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.' It brings the total number of people charged with offences under the Terrorism Act, related to Palestine Action, to 10 across England, Wales and Scotland, Counter Terrorism Policing said. A total of 221 people have been arrested at a wave of protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month, including one person on suspicion of membership of the group, 58 people on suspicion of inviting support for Palestine Action and 162 people on suspicion of displaying articles which show support. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter Terrorism Policing, said: 'Our role is to enforce the law where we suspect offences to have been committed and we will continue to do so, without fear of favour. 'At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action. This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause. 'Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London. 'As well as robust plans to respond to activity in support of this proscribed group, resources are also in place to investigate offences that may be identified or reported following such events.' The organisers of Saturday's demonstration, Defend Our Juries, said protests will continue until a High Court challenge over Palestine Action's ban in November. The move to ban them 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'.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three charged with showing support for Palestine Action
Three people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action after the group was banned as a terror organisation. Two women and a man were arrested in Westminster following a protest in central London on 5 July, the Metropolitan Police said. Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney in London, were charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation, under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The trio are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 16 September. The charges come ahead of a planned protest in support of the group on Saturday afternoon in Parliament Square in London, which organisers expect more than 500 people will attend. Defend Our Juries, which is organising the demonstration, said protests will continue until a High Court challenge over Palestine Action's ban in November. 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 5 July. "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." Read more from Sky News: The latest charges bring the total number of people charged with offences under the Terrorism Act related to Palestine Action to 10 across England, Wales and Scotland, Counter Terrorism Policing said. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "Our role is to enforce the law where we suspect offences to have been committed and we will continue to do so, without fear or favour. "At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action. This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause. "Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London. "As well as robust plans to respond to activity in support of this proscribed group, resources are also in place to investigate offences that may be identified or reported following such events." More than 220 people have been arrested at protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month, as part of the campaign coordinated by Defend Our Juries, including on suspicion of membership of, inviting support for and showing support for Palestine Action. The ban on the group came after two Voyager aircraft suffered around £7m worth of damage at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June. Three days later, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action, calling the vandalism "disgraceful" and saying the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage".
Sky News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Three charged with showing support for Palestine Action
Three people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action after the group was banned as a terror organisation. Two women and a man were arrested in Westminster following a protest in central London on 5 July, the Metropolitan Police said. Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney in London, were charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation, under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The trio are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 16 September. 1:29 The charges come ahead of a planned protest in support of the group on Saturday afternoon in Parliament Square in London, which organisers expect more than 500 people will attend. Defend Our Juries, which is organising the demonstration, said protests will continue until a High Court challenge over Palestine Action's ban in November. 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 5 July. "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." The latest charges bring the total number of people charged with offences under the Terrorism Act related to Palestine Action to 10 across England, Wales and Scotland, Counter Terrorism Policing said. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "Our role is to enforce the law where we suspect offences to have been committed and we will continue to do so, without fear or favour. "At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action. This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause. "Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London. "As well as robust plans to respond to activity in support of this proscribed group, resources are also in place to investigate offences that may be identified or reported following such events." More than 220 people have been arrested at protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month, as part of the campaign coordinated by Defend Our Juries, including on suspicion of membership of, inviting support for and showing support for Palestine Action. The ban on the group came after two Voyager aircraft suffered around £7m worth of damage at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June. Three days later, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action, calling the vandalism "disgraceful" and saying the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage".
Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Three charged with support for Palestine Action
Three people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action, the first since the group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation, the Metropolitan Police have said. The two women and a man were arrested in Westminster on July 5 after a protest in central London. Jeremy Shippam, 71, of Yapton in West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of West Ewell in Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney in northeast 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. A protest in support of Palestine Action is planned for Saturday afternoon in Parliament Square. Organisers expect more than 500 people to attend. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's counterterrorism 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.' He added: '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.'
