Cops arresting DOJ protester (Photo: Guy Smallman)
Defend Our Juries (DOJ) has announced a “significant escalation” in actions against the ban of Palestine Action.
Activists in 18 towns and cities will take part in what DOJ describes as “the most widespread mass civil disobedience in modern British history” next month.
DOJ plans Lift The Ban protests in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Oxford, Leeds, Aberystwyth, Nottingham, Northampton, Gloucester and Truro on Tuesday 18 November.
In London, it has organised a series of protests on Thursday 20, Saturday 22, Monday 24, and Wednesday 26 November. And it plans another round in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Sheffield, Exeter and Lancaster on Saturday 29 November.
Activists will hold signs that read, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” and risk arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Clive Dolphin, a DOJ spokesperson, said that the escalation was “about defending our right to protest”.
He added actions were taking place across Britain “because people are stepping forward saying that they want to organise something in their area”.
The police have arrested over 2,000 people since the Labour government banned Palestine Action in July under the Terrorism Act.
The DOJ announcement comes after the Home Office failed in its attempt to block the legal challenge to the ban.
The Court of Appeal cleared the way for Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori to go to a judicial review, which is due to take place 25-27 November.
Ammori said she was “hopeful” that the ban would be overturned and that “if it goes our way, we could be deproscribed by Christmas”.
Meanwhile, Francesca Nadin from Prisoners for Palestine announced that people held on remand for Palestine-related actions would go on hunger strike on Sunday.
There are currently 33 prisoners on remand in British prisons for Palestine-related actions. They include the Filton 24 and Brize Norton 5 who have spent over a year in custody without trial.
Two mass acts of defiance in August and September took place on the same day as Palestine national demonstrations. Thousands of people, who didn’t hold signs and risk arrest, came down to show solidarity with the DOJ actions in Parliament Square.
This combination of mass numbers and militancy humiliated the police and deepened splits inside the British state. More of the DOJ actions this time take place during weekdays, or outside of London on the same day as the next national demonstration on 29 November.
An overturning of the Palestine Action ban would be a victory for the whole movement.
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