The Labour government has continued apace with the repression of pro-Palestinian protesters previously overseen by the Conservatives. Like their counterparts in England, the Scottish police and courts are using increasing violence and intimidation to try and silence protest. Arrests, restrictive bail conditions, lengthy court cases, good behaviour reports, community payback orders and prison are the lot of those who dare to oppose Britain’s participation in Israeli genocide.
There are at least 10 separate court cases ongoing in Glasgow and Edinburgh alone, involving 32 people. This includes two Glasgow FRFI supporters, known as the ‘Starmer 2’, who were brutally arrested while protesting against the Labour leader’s visit to Scotland in December 2023, and who are facing trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 9-10 January 2025. They are charged with police assault, resisting arrest and breach of the peace.
Another FRFI supporter in Dundee was arrested, alongside three other people, with ‘threatening and abusive behaviour’ for peacefully protesting against Israeli products being stocked by the supermarket Lidl. The ‘Lidl 4’ are still waiting to find out if they will be charged.
Since 2020 the direct action group Palestine Action has been systematically targeting the British premises of one of Israel’s largest weapons companies Elbit systems. While Elbit itself does not have a direct presence in Scotland, French multinational Thales, which has a factory in Govan, Glasgow, currently works with Elbit to produce Watchkeeper drones for the British military. Activists have been demanding Thales drop its contract with Elbit and pressuring the Scottish government to end its public subsidy, through Scottish Enterprise, for arms companies. The Leonardo factory in Edinburgh, which produces laser targeting systems for Israel’s F35 fighters, has faced similar opposition.
On 3 July, three people who were protesting against Thales were hospitalised after police violently attacked a group, who were peacefully dispersing, using batons and incapacitant spray. One baton wielding officer was filmed screaming ‘run for your lives’. Despite the protesters being the victims of this attack, 12 people are now awaiting trial for ‘police assault’ and related charges.
On 20 August, five Palestine Action supporters, known as the Thales 5, who had peacefully occupied the roof of the Thales factory in 2022, were sent to prison for sentences of between 12- 14 months. Sheriff McCormick was clear in his sentencing that this was to serve as a warning to others. On 5 November two of the five had their sentences reduced to 10 months after an appeal. On 18 November Erica Hygate and Eva Simmons were released from prison but remain subject to electronic monitoring and licence conditions.
As the protest and criminalisation continues, we need to step up our activities and mobilise the communities where the arms factories are located. We must be clear that solidarity with the Palestinian resistance is not a side issue but central to defending our own living standards – instead of building homes and hospitals for the Scottish working class, our governments, in cahoots with private profiteers, are diverting massive resources to the arms industry to destroy homes and hospitals in Palestine.
FRFI supporters in Scotland have been active in campaigning against the criminalisation of Palestine solidarity, by supporting and publicising court rallies and trials, as well as by raising the need for active defence campaigning against arrest, charges and imprisonment during weekly Palestine protests and at public meetings. You can find articles about the Thales 5 and Starmer 2 on the FRFI website and a list of court cases, which FRFI supporters produce and regularly update, on the website home page of the Glasgow Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee (GGEC) which FRFI is participating in.
Join us outside and inside Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 January, from 9am, to support the Starmer 2. Wear your keffiyehs!
Dominic Mulgrew
