Two FRFI supporters who were arrested at a Palestine demonstration on Saturday 14 October have been informed by Northumbria Police that no further action will be taken against them as there is insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution. In fact, there is no evidence, because the two were arrested on entirely spurious charges of ‘leading an unauthorised procession’, a public order offence. Northumbria Police are arresting activists at Palestine demonstrations on whatever flimsy grounds they can muster to repress the right to protest for Palestine. Especially targeted are those who display explicitly anti-imperialist demands, linking the occupation of Palestine to long-standing economic and political support from British imperialism.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! will always highlight this to build a movement in Britain for Palestine that can sever British state support for Zionism. The two FRFI supporters did so on 14 October, pointing out, as participants in a spontaneous march, the huge investments Barclays bank holds in the Israeli occupation, including over £1bn of investments in Israeli arms companies which sell weapons that are ‘battle-tested’ on the Palestinians. The FRFI supporters pointed out that Barclays is among several British high street banks which are crucial tools in sustaining the profits of British imperialism, and therefore are instrumental in maintaining British support for the occupation of Palestine, which exists to defend British imperialist interests in the Middle East.
A movement for Palestine in Britain that understands and challenges this role played by British imperialism is truly threatening to the British state. Thus, on 14 October, when the march spontaneously stopped outside Barclays to challenge its support for the Israeli occupation, Northumbria Police sprung into action, with four mounted police officers forcing their way through the crowd to blockade the entrance of Barclays. Northumbria Police showed that any challenge to British imperialism will not be tolerated. FRFI supporters across the country have and will continue to picket British banks and businesses such as Barclays and M&S for their role in supporting the occupation.
We will continue to put forward principled, anti-imperialist demands that advance the interests of the Palestinian people. Some of these demands have been a clear target of repression by the British state. The two FRFI supporters were asked under caution in a police interview if they used the chant: ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’. Northumbria Police know they did because they had intelligence officers filming constantly throughout the demo, a measure clearly designed to intimidate participants. FRFI supporters will continue to use this chant, and will continue to put forward the principled demand that the Israeli state, which is underpinned necessarily by the racist ideology of Zionism and the ongoing ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, must be ‘dismantled’, in the words of former leading UN human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber in his resignation letter.
Following the arrests, Northumbria Police attempted to severely curtail the two arrestee’s fundamental right to protest by banning them from the city centre with bail conditions. This was challenged before the magistrates for encroaching on their rights to freedom of expression and protest as enshrined in articles 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act. The Crown Prosecution Service agreed immediately that the bail conditions were disproportionate, and they were lifted without having to be argued in front of the magistrates.
Despite this, Northumbria Police seem to believe they don’t answer to the courts, because they still arrested one of the FRFI supporters at another Palestine protest on Saturday 4 November in the city centre for violating the bail conditions, after they had been lifted. Footage shows him being handcuffed whilst asking Northumbria Police if they can check that bail conditions have been lifted. They ignored an invitation to speak with his solicitor to clarify the matter. In their determination to arrest anyone protesting for Palestine on whatever flimsy grounds they can conjure up, Northumbria Police unlawfully arrested a young man, leaving him with visible marks on his wrists from the handcuffs that lasted four days. 20 minutes after the arrest he was set free and returned to participate in the Palestine protest.
The three arrests of Newcastle FRFI supporters are part of at least seven reported arrests in Newcastle at Palestine protests since 14 October, and part of hundreds across the country. On 21 October, two young women were cornered and arrested at a peaceful Palestine demo in Newcastle and held for several hours. On 24 November the Rafael 3 from Palestine Action are being sentenced for shutting down the Israeli-owned Rafael weapons factory in Newcastle which produces tanks and armoured vehicles for the occupation.
FRFI has written to the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, a Labour politician, asking for a meeting to discuss ensuring Northumbria Police cease this repression of Palestine protests in Newcastle. She has not responded, so we will be forced to picket her and demand she does so.
Despite police harassment, intimidation, spurious and unlawful arrests, and draconian bail conditions, FRFI supporters will continue to exercise our fundamental rights to demonstrate in solidarity with Palestine, and we will challenge any attempts to repress these rights. We will support and politically defend anybody else who is faced with such repression or arrests. And above all, we will continue to put forward principled, anti-imperialist demands that advance the Palestine struggle in Britain, regardless of attempts by the British state to suppress them.
