Over 2,700 sign-holders have been unlawfully arrested since the ban on Palestine Action
Since the ban on Palestine Action came into force last year, some 2,787 people have been arrested for peacefully holding up signs saying, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”
Jenny, Brian and Simon were arrested alongside hundreds of others on 6 September last year in Parliament Square. The action was organised by Defend Our Juries (DOJ).
But judges have now ruled that the ban on Palestine Action is “unlawful”.
On hearing about Friday’s ruling, Jenny told Socialist Worker, “I’m celebrating today. It’s brilliant. It’s a real vindication of the campaign of resistance. And it shows how completely absurd the ban was to start with.”
She added that Yvette Cooper, the Labour home secretary who put the ban in place, “has got to resign”.
Labour home secretary Shabana Mahmood says she plans to appeal the decision.
Jenny said, “If Mahmood and the Labour government proceed with a challenge to today’s ruling they will dig themselves deeper into a hole.
“It will fire up more resistance—repression breeds resistance.”
Brian agreed. “I wasn’t that optimistic about relying on the judiciary. But it’s a clear case of how ridiculous it is to compare Palestine Action to a terrorist organisation,” he told Socialist Worker.
“To compare holding up a piece of cardboard to terrorism is just beyond ridiculous.”
“It is a victory against an increasingly authoritarian, undemocratic and right wing administration,” Simon told Socialist Worker.
He explained that protesters from Coventry Palestine Solidarity Campaign had targeted an event with Mahmood as the guest speaker on Thursday evening.
Some 20 people gathered outside the venue. Mahmood said she wouldn’t attend unless they dispersed so the event was cancelled.
“Mahmood is happy to be complicit in genocide, not so happy having to face peaceful protesters against genocide,” Simon said.
Plea hearings for the signholders have been taking place every Monday and Tuesday since the start of the year. Some of the arrestees are still expected in court this coming week.
Jenny said, “I’m due for a plea hearing on Tuesday. It’s going to go ahead and I still have to go.
“But it will be even more of a sham. The magistrates are going to have to preside over a complete sham and a travesty. The wrong people will be in the dock.
“In the plea hearings that have been taking place already, people have been using the opportunity to make a statement about the genocide. So that will boost our side.”
Brian is in the same position. He said, “I’ve received nothing from the prosecution—no official notification that I’ve been charged. The administration of it is a scandal really. I actually only found out through DOJ that my case is listed.
“It will be quite interesting. There is still a debate about what happens to the impending cases.
“In a perverse way I’m looking forward to going to court. I want to argue that the case should be null and void.”
Simon cautioned, “The ruling is to be celebrated, but any celebration needs to be qualified pending the complete lifting of the proscription.”
There are still several other battles against the repression of the Palestine movement.
“It’s a good day, but the legislation against the right to protest remains and we shouldn’t lose sight of that amid the celebrations”, said Simon.
Brian said, “Hopefully the ruling sends a message about the importance of civil disobedience. Sometimes it’s the right thing to do when laws are unlawful. It’s our responsibility to make our opposition clear.
“It’s important to take part in collective action—and it was collective action with hundreds of us on 6 September—and it’s good to see some success.”
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