Armed UK police threaten peaceful protester holding Palestinian flag

LONDON

UK armed police officers confronted a peaceful demonstrator, who was holding a Palestinian flag and displaying signs that read “Free Gaza” and “Israel is committing genocide,” in Canterbury, southeast England.

Laura Murton, aged 42, was approached on Monday by police and accused of potentially breaking terrorism laws by showing support for the group Palestine Action, which the UK government recently banned.

The encounter, which Murton filmed, shows an officer saying: “Mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel, genocide, all of that all come under proscribed groups, which are terror groups that have been dictated by the Government.”

He also claimed that the phrase “Free Gaza” was “supportive of Palestine Action,” and that expressing such views could be considered an offence under the UK Terrorism Act.

Murton told police she does not support any banned groups and that none of her signs mentioned Palestine Action. “I do not,” she replied when asked if she supported any proscribed organizations.

She said she felt compelled to give her name and address after officers warned of possible arrest. “I ended up giving my details, and I really resent the fact I had to do that because I don’t think that was lawful at all.”

“It’s terrifying, I was standing there thinking, this is the most authority, authoritarian, dystopian experience I’ve had in this country, being told that I’m committing terrorist offences by two guys with firearms,” she added.

The incident came shortly after the UK’s Labor government officially banned Palestine Action on July 5, following a failed legal attempt by the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, to block the decision.

The group, known for its direct-action protests, is now classified as a proscribed organization under UK law.

Amnesty International UK has warned of a “chilling effect” on freedom of expression.

“Now we see armed officers threatening to arrest people with Palestine flags and free Gaza placards. There is no lawful basis for this police behavior,” the group said.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 58,600 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.