Why it matters:
The arrests mark one of the largest crackdowns on political dissent in modern U.K. history, highlighting the government’s increasingly authoritarian stance toward critics of its military and political support for Israel amid global outrage over the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The big picture:
The U.K. government designated Palestine Action, a group targeting companies involved in the Israeli arms trade a terrorist organization in early July. Public support for the group, including holding signs or chanting slogans, now carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Saturday’s protest included elderly people, disabled individuals, and even a blind protester in a wheelchair all arrested for nonviolent advocacy.
What they’re saying:
Palestine Action spokesperson: “This group and those holding signs in support of it posed no threat to the public and were entirely peaceful.”
Civil rights campaigners: The terrorist label is being weaponized to silence opposition to Britain’s complicity in Israeli war crimes.
Key points:
- Protesters chanted: “Shame on the police!” and “Shame on the government!”
- The government cited a protest earlier this year—when activists threw red paint on two military aircraft—as justification for the terrorist designation, claiming £7 million in damages.
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Go deeper:
Tens of Thousands in Occupied Territories Protest Against War, Gaza Occupation Plan
M.Majdi - ahmad shirzadian
