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Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Outrage as pro-Palestine protester to spend 21 months in prison before trial
LONDON: The mother of a British man charged over a protest against an Israeli weapons firm has voiced outrage over the expected 21-month imprisonment of her son before his trial, The Guardian reported. William Plastow, a 34-year-old resident of Manchester, is accused of taking part in a Palestine Action demonstration against a factory in Bristol owned by Elbit Systems. The protest, which took place in August last year, involved 17 others. The group has been dubbed the 'Filton 18.' Plastow, a script editor, has denied charges of criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary relating to the demonstration. Six of the 18, including Plastow, who are all being held in prison, have been given a trial date of April next year. Defendants should not spend more than six months in jail while awaiting trial, according to custody time limit guidelines. By the time of Plastow's expected trial, he will have served the equivalent of a sentence of more than five years, based on new sentencing rules that allow the release of convicted criminals who have served one-third of their sentences. Jane Plastow, his mother, said the case might set a record for the longest time anyone has been held in prison awaiting trial on protest charges in Britain. The 66-year-old, an academic, said: 'It's outrageous, it's terrible. Will is a kind of glass-half-empty guy, so he tends toward (believing in) the worst possible outcome. 'Every day, which has become a kind of ritual, I have to say: 'Yes, you are going to get out of there, this is not the end of your life. They are not going to be able to keep you in for years and years and years.' Because you just obviously feel so helpless and hopeless locked up in that place.' In a prison diary published in Inside Time, Plastow revealed he had suffered suicidal thoughts. He was denied bail despite agreeing to a slew of measures designed to limit his behavior, including wearing an electronic tag, having his phone and passport confiscated, and submitting regular police reports on his activity. The judge responsible for the decision said Plastow posed a risk of breaking the law again, his mother said. 'What you're being required to prove is a negative — well, you can never prove the negative, can you?' she said. 'You can't prove that you're not going to do anything.' Plastow's artner of a decade, Valentina Tschismarov, said: 'I think the worst that I have personally seen him was when his bail application was denied, which obviously was really disheartening for all of us. Shortly afterward myself and his mum went to visit him together and I was very worried at that point because he was really shaken, just out of it. 'Even on the phone in the weeks after that, he just sounded very distant and kind of broken down. It seems incredibly disproportionate. I always imagined that there were these protections in place and you couldn't just have somebody jailed without a conviction for these amounts of time. 'I think people are not really aware.' The 18 protesters arrested at the Elbit facility last year were initially arrested under the Terrorism Act, meaning they could be held for 14 days without charge. However, despite the Crown Prosecution Service saying the protest held a 'terrorism connection,' none of the 18 have been charged with terror offenses.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘It's outrageous,' says mother of UK Israel protest accused as he faces 21 months in jail before trial
The mother of a man charged in relation to a protest at a site belonging to an Israeli arms manufacturer has said it is outrageous that he faces 21 months in jail before his case goes to trial. William Plastow, 34, who lives in Manchester, is one of the 'Filton 18', accused of taking part in a Palestine Action protest against an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August last year. He denies charges of criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary. Plastow, a script editor, and five more of the 18, who are all being held in prison, have been given a trial date of April next year. Custody time limits stipulate that defendants should not spend more than six months in jail awaiting trial. Under new sentencing rules for England and Wales, which allow the release of convicted criminals after serving a third of their sentences, Plastow will have served the equivalent of a sentence of more than five years before going to trial. His mother, Jane Plastow, 66, an academic at the University of Leeds, believes it is the longest anyone will have been held in jail awaiting trial on protest-related charges and fears for his mental health. In a prison diary published in Inside Time, her son wrote about having suicidal thoughts. His mother said: 'It's outrageous, it's terrible. Will is a kind of glass-half-empty guy, so he tends towards [believing in] the worst possible outcome. Every day, which has become a kind of ritual, I have to say: 'Yes, you are going to get out of there, this is not the end of your life. They are not going to be able to keep you in for years and years and years.' Because you just obviously feel so helpless and hopeless locked up in that place.' She said she had offered a surety of £50,000, using money from an inheritance, for his bail application, said he could live with her and that all internet access would be removed from the house. He also would have been tagged, had his passport and smartphone removed and had to report regularly to the police, but he was still denied bail. Jane said the judge indicated her son posed a risk of breaking the law again. 'What you're being required to prove is a negative – well, you can never prove the negative, can you?' she said. 'You can't prove that you're not going to do anything.' Another of the Filton 18, Kamran Ahmed, was granted bail but the decision was overturned on appeal. Will Plastow's partner of 10 years, Valentina Tschismarov, a script editor, said: 'I think the worst that I have personally seen him was when his bail application was denied, which obviously was really disheartening for all of us. Shortly afterwards myself and his mum went to visit him together and I was very worried at that point because he was really shaken, just out of it. 'Even on the phone in the weeks after that, he just sounded very distant and kind of broken down. It seems incredibly disproportionate. I always imagined that there were these protections in place and you couldn't just have somebody jailed without a conviction for these amounts of time. I think people are not really aware.' The longest that any Just Stop Oil activists have spent in jail awaiting trial was the nearly 10 months – still over the custody time limit – spent on remand by two of the Heathrow 10, who had planned a peaceful demonstration at the airport last July. The Filton 18 were initially arrested under the Terrorism Act, which meant they could be held for 14 days without charge. None have been charged with terrorism offences but the Crown Prosecution Service has said there was a 'terrorism connection'. The Ministry of Justice referred the Guardian to the Judicial Office, which said it could not comment on individual cases.
The Guardian
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Pro-Palestine group targets Jewish-owned business alleging links to Israeli weapons firm
A Jewish-owned business in north London has been daubed in red paint and its shop window smashed by pro-Palestinian campaigners in an incident police are treating as racially aggravated. Three men were caught on CCTV in the early hours of Thursday attacking an investment group in Stamford Hill, an area with a large community of orthodox Jews. They also spray painted the words 'Drop Elbit' in red, a reference to Elbit Systems UK, an Israeli arms manufacturer. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the attack. The group said it was targeting a business that is registered as the landlords of an Elbit weapons factory in Kent. A spokesperson for company, which requested anonymity for fear of further attacks, said it had no connection with Elbit and that the incident had terrified employees. They said: 'I turned up this morning and saw the place vandalised. For Jewish people it is very, very scary now.' Police have taken statements from employees and are investigating CCTV footage of the attack unfolding. The Metropolitan police said officers were called to the property at 7.23am. In a statement the force said: 'Inquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made at this stage. This incident is being treated as racially aggravated criminal damage.' It added: 'We understand the concern this may cause members of the Jewish community. Officers are working with community leaders and patrols have increased across the local area.' In a statement, Palestine Action said: 'During the early hours of Thursday, activists from Palestine Action targeted the London-based landlords of Elbit's Instro Precision weapons factory. The registered address … was covered in red paint and the front windows were shattered, to demonstrate against the company's involvement in arming the Gaza genocide.' It added: 'Instro Precision is a weapons maker owned by Elbit Systems, Israel's biggest weapons producer.' The group claims that Instro Precision was granted more than a dozen weapons export licences last year for the shipment of arms to Israel. Palestine Action says it targets all those who profit from the operations of Israel's biggest weapons producer, and demanded the landlords evict Instro Precision.
BreakingNews.ie
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Department of Foreign Affairs targeted with graffiti by Pro-Palestine group
The Department of Foreign Affairs' headquarters has been targeted with graffiti. Red paint was sprayed at the entrance to Iveagh House on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, reading 'Pal Action Ireland - US Military Out of Shannon". The Department says it is aware of the incident, and gardaí are actively following up on the matter. In a post on X, they said "Two people painted the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin red, its windows and door during the night. "US Military out of Shannon", "Search the Planes" & "Palestine Action Éire" read in paint. They refuse to severe ties with the US-Israeli military supply chain!" BREAKING: 2 people painted the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin red; its windows and door during the night. "US Military out of Shannon", "Search the Planes" & "Palestine Action Éire" read in paint. They refuse to severe ties with the US-Israeli military supply chain! — Palestine Action Éire (@pal_action_eire) May 26, 2025 It comes as earlier this month the same group said three of its members were detained after they breached the perimeter of Shannon Airport. Advertisement Palestine Action Éire said three of its activists 'entered the airport runway' at Shannon in an attempt to inspect a US military plane. The airport suspended operations for an hour until 7:30pm. The three individuals were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Co Clare. It is believed that a white van crossed a grass area on the main road into the airport and crashed through the perimeter fence. It is understood that a number of people wearing orange jump suits, hard hats and scarves over their faces then entered the airport's 'air side' area.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘It's made everyone feel uneasy':Shock after office targeted in ‘anti-Semitic attack'
Residents have reacted in horror after a vandalism attack on an office block in Prestwich. In the early hours of Thursday, May 15, the peace of the George Street area in Sedgley Park was shattered when Rico House, an office block, was targeted. Police said an investigation has been launched after red paint was daubed extensively across the front of the building. The words 'Happy Nakba Day' were painted onto the building. Palestine Action has claimed responsibility for the incident.# READ MORE: Prestwich office block daubed with red paint in 'Anti-Semitic' attack Barclays on Central Street, Bury, smashed and covered in red paint It claims the office block is home to the 'Manchester-based landlords' of Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems. Greater Manchester Police says it was called to reports of criminal damage at the building shortly before 4am on Thursday, and enquiries are ongoing. As well as the attack on Rico House, Palestine Action says it also targeted the Elbit Systems factors in Filton, near Bristol, and the office of BNY Mellon bank, in Edinburgh, this morning. George Street In contrast to other similar incidents, Rico House was targeted at a building surrounded by family homes. The Local Democracy Reporting Service visited George Street on Thursday. The quiet, leafy street, in the heart of Prestwich's Jewish community is mostly residential and the sound of young families enjoying the sunshine in their gardens could be heard. Bury's Council leader, Eamonn O'Brien said he was 'deeply upset' to see 'anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish businesses in our borough'. Those views were echoed by people passing by the building on Thursday. Without exception, those approached did not want their names publishing. One man, in his 50s, said: 'It's shocking and really disappointing. Surely we're better than this. 'Global issues are now coming to the doorstep of our community. 'There's a better way to protest and a better way to get your point across.' Another man, 79, who lives in nearby Kersal, said: 'It's makes everyone in the community feel more uneasy. 'I know it's targeting property rather than people but it's not nice to see. 'It's deeply unpleasant and worrying.' A man leaving Rico House through its damaged front door would not comment, saying the attack on the building 'had already been made public'. Cllr O'Brien, added: 'I would like to reassure our Jewish community that we stand with them against these sorts of attacks and will do all we can to ensure an end to division and hate in our borough. 'I have asked that the council work closely with the police and request an increase in patrols in the area.' The actions have been condemned by community representatives, include the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which provides security to the UK's Jewish communities. A spokesperson for CST said: 'CST is appalled by the vile paint attack against a mainly Jewish office block in North Manchester. 'We have been working closely with the police and the location, doing our utmost to help identify the anti-Semitic vandals and to give security support.' Christian Wakeford MP, Labour MP for Bury South, has also condemned the attack. 'I'm deeply troubled to have learned that last night there was an attack on a property in the heart of the Jewish community in my constituency,' he said. 'The attack saw anti-Semitic graffiti targeted towards the Jewish owners of the building and those Jewish businesses who use the building. 'Anti-Semitism can never be tolerated. 'I want to reassure all my constituents that any hatred, towards any community in Bury South can never be justified, at any level.' A GMP spokesperson said: 'We were called to reports of criminal damage at a building on George Street, Prestwich. 'The scene has now been processed and closed, but officers continue to conduct further enquiries. ' Anyone with information should call us on 101 quoting log 316 of May 15, 2025.' Nakba Day commemorates the displacement of Palestinians on May 15, 1948, the day which followed the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
