UK arrests co-founder of Palestine Action sparking outrage
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Richard Barnard, the co-founder of Palestine Action, was detained on suspicion of breaking Britain's Terrorism Act.
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Richard Barnard, co-founder of Palestine Action in front of the Westminster Magistrates Court on May 27, 2021.(X photo)
The co-founder of a pro-Palestine demonstration network, as well as numerous other activists, have been detained by UK police in what is being seen as a heavy-handed assault on pro-Palestine voices in the country.
Richard Barnard, the co-founder of Palestine Action, was detained on suspicion of breaking Britain's Terrorism Act after giving a series of talks in Manchester and Bradford in favor of the Palestinian resistance.
Barnard, who is scheduled to appear in magistrates court on September 18, is accused of "expressing an opinion that is supportive of a proscribed organization contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000."
The 41-year-old has furthermore been charged with "encouraging or intending to encourage criminal damage."
#BREAKING: Richard Barnard, co-founder of Palestine Action, slapped with Terrorism Act charges by UK police!
— General Strike 🍀(Terrence Daniels) (@Terrence_STR) August 31, 2024
When will it stop? How many more voices for Palestine must be silenced in the UK? #FreeSpeech #PalestineSolidarity #FreePalestine #NoMoreWars pic.twitter.com/Emhui8zG0V
According to British media, the allegations stem from a demonstration conducted on October 8 last year, one day after Operation al-Aqsa flood took place in occupied territories and another protest in Bradford on October 11.
On the same day, UK counter-terrorism officers visited the residences of other Palestine Action activists who had already been arrested. Six other protestors were detained on August 6.
The group expressed that the state was "harassing Palestine Action, in a bid to protect Israel’s weapons trade. We will not be intimidated into allowing a genocide to happen."
Britain is a police state which charges anti-genocide activists with terrorism, whilst enabling the Israeli military to mass murder Palestinians.
— Huda Ammori #ShutElbitDown (@HudaAmmori) August 30, 2024
Be on the right side of history and refuse to back down to a crackdown.
Another pro-Palestine advocate, Sarah Wilkinson, was detained at her home on Thursday for "content that she has posted online." Her son recounted that 12 police officers invaded her home and arrested her.
Wilkinson has actively supported the Palestinian cause on social media and formerly worked for the MENA Uncensored newsgroup.
The two are not the only ones to face harsh arrests for their positions.
Richard Medhurst, a pro-Palestine journalist, revealed earlier this month that he had been arrested under the Terrorism Act at London's Heathrow Airport.
Medhurst expressed that he was targeted for his reporting on "Israel’s" war on Gaza, cautioning that this could be an attempt to pave the way for silencing all critical voices.
I was arrested at Heathrow Airport under the Terrorism Act, Sec 12 because of my reporting.
— Richard Medhurst (@richimedhurst) August 19, 2024
6 police officers were waiting for me at the entrance of the aircraft.
I was held for almost 24 hours and questioned.
I believe I'm the first journalist to be arrested under this… pic.twitter.com/pbf6q5dXIf
David Miller, a former Bristol University lecturer, wrote on X that this disgraceful targeting is due to activists opposing genocide, something "the British state materially and ideologically supports."
Now it's Richard Barnard (of the stalwart @Pal_action), following Sara Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc), Richard Medhurst (@richimedhurst) and (@CraigMurrayOrg). All disgracefully targeted by Counter Terrorism police for their opposition to genocide, which as we all know, the British… https://t.co/6zyDIkFVxm pic.twitter.com/1kXb7GPQcn
— David Miller (@Tracking_Power) August 29, 2024
Save the Children UK urges for arms embargo on 'Israel'
Save the Children UK has called for the imposition of an arms embargo on "Israel" following the occupation's most recent massacre of women and children in Gaza.
This advocacy by the international children's rights organization came on Thursday following an Israeli airstrike that killed almost a dozen women and children, including 10-year-old quadruplets and their mother.
“We’re absolutely heartbroken to see that six children – including a group of ten-year-old quadruplets, and their mother – are the latest victims of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza,” the organization said on X.
“We simply cannot accept the violence that Palestinian children continue to face as normal.”
Save the Children urged the UK government to immediately halt arms sales to "Israel," highlighting the risk of these weapons being used in violations of international humanitarian law.
Since the beginning of "Israel's" genocide in Gaza on October 7, the UK has issued over 100 arms export licenses.
Over the last ten months, the occupation has struck more than 500 schools in Gaza which are being used as shelters to house nearly two million displaced Palestinians.
The occupation regime hit five schools in Gaza City in 10 days in August, killing over 179 people and wounding many more.
