Palestine campaigners gathered outside the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court in London on 7 November to support Sarah of the SOAS 2 and to demand the terrorism charges against her be dropped and the Terrorism Act itself scrapped. Sarah is charged under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 with supporting a proscribed organisation – a charge that carries a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison. She is one of a growing number of activists facing increased British state repression. The Terrorism Act is a ruling class instrument designed to suppress all forms of solidarity with anti-imperialist struggle, and its use is being continuously expanded to clamp down on Palestine solidarity. The protest was called by the SOAS 2 Defence Campaign with the support of the Revolutionary Communist Group/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!
Holding placards denouncing the real terrorists and war criminals – including Keir Starmer, and Benjamin Netanyahu – for their part in the genocide in Gaza, comrades reiterated their solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement and its internationally recognised right to resist occupation and repression by all means including armed struggle. The range of organisations supporting the protest demonstrates the importance of building a Palestine solidarity movement that recognises that its main enemy is the pro-Zionist, imperialist British state. Speakers included the Revolutionary Communist Group, Prisoners for Palestine – who have recently embarked on a hunger strike against the repressive prison conditions faced by Palestine activists such as the Filton 24 – the Partizan Defence Committee, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and SOAS Communist.
As the British state steps up its use of repressive laws, whether using the Terrorism Act against activists, lawyers and journalists or scraping the barrel with anti-trade union laws to persecute the Gal Gadot 5, or harassing jailed activists like the Filton 24, it is more crucial than ever that we stand together. As the RCG speaker said, ‘Solidarity is our first and last weapon against the power of the ruling class. An injury to one is an injury to all.’
Sarah’s next court date will be on 4 June 2026 – nearly three years after her original ‘offence’ is alleged to have occurred. At that point – just weeks before trial – the court will discuss the admissibility of expert witness evidence relating to the political issues, including the right of an oppressed people to armed struggle. Before that, a key date is 20 November outside the Supreme Court in Parliament Square, London, where a case is being brought that will weigh up the right to free speech protected by the European Human Rights Act, against Britain’s repressive, domestic Terrorism Act. The Defend SOAS 2 campaign is organising a rally outside the court – join us!
