On 26 January, three pro-Palestine protesters were charged under section 18 of the Public Order Act (POA) 1986 with ‘stirring up racial hatred’. This followed their arrest in central London in December for the alleged ‘crime’ of chanting ‘Globalise the intifada’ at a demonstration in support of the hungerstrikers. If convicted they could face up to seven years in prison. This is part of a renewed push by the state to drive the more radical sections of the Palestine solidarity movement off the streets.
Earlier on 17 December, the Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police had released a joint statement threatening to arrest anyone who chanted ‘globalise the intifada’. Exploiting the media hysteria generated by the Heaton Park Synagogue attack in Manchester and the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia, they stated:
‘We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as “globalise the intifada” and those using it at future protest or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action. Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed – words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests.’
On 9 January, a member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network was arrested under section 18 of the POA 1986 for the same ‘globalise the intifada’ slogan.
Equating Palestine solidarity with anti-semitism and using this as a basis for criminalising protesters has long been a strategy of the British state to crack down on Palestine solidarity. Between November 2023 and March 2024, several supporters of FRFI were arrested for using the slogan ‘victory to the intifada’. None were charged because, as the police themselves implicitly admitted, using slogans related to ‘intifada’ did not meet the prosecution threshold at the time.
The word ‘intifada’ means ‘uprising’ or to ‘shake off’. ‘Victory to the intifada’ is a concrete expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people’s resistance against occupation, dispossession and ethnic cleansing. Pro-Zionist organisations have long lobbied for slogans relating to ‘intifada’ to be criminalised.
The prosecution of peaceful protesters over a slogan serves to create a ‘chilling effect’ in order to stifle solidarity with the Palestinian people. We reject all attempts by the state to criminalise solidarity with Palestine. This repression must be resisted – both in the streets and in the courts.
Solidarity with Palestine is not a crime! Victory to the intifada!
Defend the SOAS 2! Defend the right to free speech on Palestine!
The SOAS 2, two students criminalised under the Terrorism Act 2000 for their support of the Palestinian resistance, continue to face prosecution by the British state. The SOAS 2 Defence Campaign is organising a series of events in the lead-up to the trial of Sarah, one of the SOAS 2, which begins on 22 June 2026.
Join us Sunday 1 March, 4pm, online or at a watch party near you for an international webinar dissecting the repression the Palestine movement has faced in Britain and across Europe and North America. We must defend the right to defend Palestine!
