The 20 defendants, who were all arrested on August 9, have been sent a formal charge summons in the post to appear in court
A total of 134 people have been charged with an offence for allegedly showing support for the banned Palestine Action group in London, the Metropolitan Police have said, as it announced the latest 20 protesters who have been told they are to face court action. The 20 defendants, who were all arrested on August 9, have been sent a formal charge summons in the post to appear in court, the force said.
They had been charged with an offence under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, 2000 and were due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 24. Earlier, Defend Our Juries said more than 1,500 people had so far pledged to take part in a central London demonstration in Trafalgar Square billed as “the biggest ever mass action yet defying the ban on Palestine Action”.
Hundreds of people would be risking arrest at the protest as they showed support for Palestine Action, which has been banned by the Government as a terrorist organisation. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said convictions could have “potentially serious consequences” that could impact on the careers and overseas travel plans of anyone who now had to go to court.
He said: “I would urge anyone considering committing a similar offence by coming out and showing support to Palestine Action to reconsider, otherwise you will very likely be arrested, investigated and, as these latest charges show, we are efficiently working with the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) to bring about prosecutions.” Charges with offences under section 13 of the Terrorism Act can carry a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment.
Richard Burge, 65, of Plumstead, south-east London; Illinois Cook, 54, of New Malden, Surrey; Samra Abdirahman, 46, of Halton, Leeds; Stephanie Foster, 58, of Bickington, Devon; Carole Lawrence, 64, of Brighton; Israa Inbrahim, 42, of Ilford, east London, and Andrea Middleton, 53, of Hook, Hampshire, are among those who have been charged.
Susan Salvietto, 64, of Watford, Hertfordshire; Kristyan Robinson, 62, of Camden, north-west London; Adrian Cadbury, 36, of Westminster, central London; Trudi Warner, 70, of Walthamstow, east London; Chloe Hill, 60, of Southwark, south-east London; Jane Augsburger, 60, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, and Lindsay Alderton, 50, of Totnes, Devon, have also been charged.
Mark Hudson, 55, of Stone, Staffordshire; Peter Thornton, 60, of Worthing, West Sussex; Cathrine Kibbler, 59, of Snaith, East Riding of Yorkshire; Adeelah Mir, 42, of Leyton, east London; William Crane, 78, of Enfield, north London; David Chapman, 67, of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, have also been charged. Saturday’s demonstration is part of a week of mass protests that has seen 66 people arrested outside the Labour party conference in Liverpool for supporting the proscribed terrorism organisation.
Defend Our Juries claimed that officers were tied up for hours dealing with protests earlier this week at the conference, and said: “If they can’t enforce the ban on their own doorstep, how do they expect to stop the biggest act of mass civil disobedience in Trafalgar Square this weekend?”
A spokesman said: “It’s nothing short of a scandal that thousands of people are being arrested – from vicars and priests to students and retired healthcare workers – as our fundamental rights to free speech and protest have been stripped away, not to keep us safe, but to protect weapons manufacturers’ interests and enable Israel to continue to slaughter Palestinian people.”
Two people from the Liverpool protest were later released, but the other 64 were arrested on suspicion of a terrorism offence and taken into custody, Merseyside Police said on Monday. All those arrested, who were aged between 21 and 83, had been released on bail.
Merseyside Police said: “Some of the people in attendance displayed material in support of Palestine Action, who are a proscribed terrorism organisation.” Last month, violent clashes broke out when an estimated 1,500 people gathered for the rally in Westminster where the protest took on an increasingly anti-police tone, featuring chants of “shame on you”, “you’re supporting genocide”.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Palestine Action has conducted an escalating campaign involving not just sustained criminal damage, including to Britain’s national security infrastructure, but also intimidation and alleged violence and serious injuries to individuals. That kind of activity puts the safety and security of the public at risk.
“Violence and serious criminal damage has no place in lawful protests. Those suspected of breaking the law risk arrest and prosecution, including for terrorism offences. We thank the police for their work and remain confident in the well-tested plans in place to deal with any public disorder, including action against those supporting a proscribed organisation.”
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