Protest is not terrorism

Addressed to: 

• Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
• Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions
• cc Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary 

Dear Mark Rowley and Stephen Parkinson,

We the undersigned are scholars and teachers who work in London’s colleges and universities. Like so many of our colleagues and students, in London and across the country, we are profoundly appalled and ashamed by British complicity in Israel’s ongoing annihilation of Palestine. We take seriously our obligation to do all we can to respect the UK’s binding commitment “to prevent and to punish genocide.” 

We are writing to you to condemn the broad and indiscriminate use of the Terrorism Act on Saturday 9 August, when more than 500 people were arrested at Parliament Square for peacefully demonstrating against Israel’s ongoing crimes against humanity and for opposing the proscription of Palestine Action. We likewise condemn the prosecution of the main organisers of the enormous and entirely peaceful national demonstrations for Palestine, Chris Nineham, Ben Jamal, Sophie Bolt and Alex Kenny. 

We are also writing to express our full solidarity with all those arrested on 9 August and previously for exercising their rights to peaceful freedom of expression, association and assembly. As Amnesty International highlighted in an open letter published on 6 August, “the arrest of otherwise peaceful protesters solely for expressing a statement such as ‘I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action’ is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.”

We are especially alarmed to hear that in addition to many hundreds of arrests of people holding signs saying “I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action”, at least one person was arrested who was not taking part in the action organised by Defend our Juries, but simply expressing opposition to the proscription of Palestine Action. This person,  a member of the University and College Union (UCU), was arrested on 9 August for holding two placards. The first said “UCU opposes genocide and condemns the proscription of Palestine Action”, and the second one said “Stop arming Israel. I support Palestine Action’s campaign against proscription.” These slogans simply summarise positions adopted by the union at national and local level and publicly endorsed by hundreds of individual members. 

We believe that there is no justification for the arrests made on 9 August, and on the days leading up to it. Therefore we demand that:

• The CPS refrains from pressing charges against anyone arrested for holding a placard on 9 August or previously.
• The police drop all charges for any case relating to demonstrations around Palestine Action.

Genocide is being perpetrated as we write, and pursuing people for peaceful protest is a diversion from the far more urgent work of bringing the atrocities in Gaza to an end.  

This letter is initiated by organisers of the Protest is not Terrorism open letter and has also been sent to Mark Rowley, Stephen Parkinson and Yvette Cooper.

Signed (updated 4 September):

• Larne Abse Gogarty, Associate Professor, UCL
• Mahvish Ahmad, Assistant Professor in Human Rights and Politics, Co-Director LSE Human Rights, London School of Economics and Political Science
• Waseem Ahmed, History Phd and PGTA, UCL and KCL
• Rachel Aldred, Professor of Transport, Westminster University
• Atef Alshaer, Reader in Arabic Studies
• Margarita Aragon, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Birkbeck
• Edwina Attlee, Associate Professor, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
• Nishat Awan, Prof Architecture & Visual Culture, UCL
• Feryal Awan, Lecturer, UCL
• Alessandro Ayuso, Senior Lecturer, University of Westminster
• Mike Barton, Computing lecturer, Retired
• Peter Beresford, Emeritus Professor, Brunel University London
• Gargi Bhattacharyya, Director of the Sarah Parker Remond Centre, UCL
• Matt Booth, Research Fellow, Imperial College London
• Shumi Bose, Senior Lecturer, UAL Central Saint Martins
• Emilia Boulton, Associate Lecturer, University of the Arts London
• Sara Bragg, Associate Professor, UCL
• Dhanveet Brar, Lecturer, University of Leeds
• Mandy Brown, Chair London Region UCU, Hackney FE College
• Andrea Bruun, Research Fellow, Kingston University London
• Adrian Budd, Visiting Fellow, London South Bank University
• Fiona Candlin, Professor of Museology, Birkbeck
• Lionel Caplan, Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology, SOAS University of London
• Pat Caplan, Em. Prof of Anthropology, Goldsmiths
• Gavin Capps, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Kingston University London
• Erica Carter, Professor of German and Film, King’s College London
• Reem Charif, Year leader /senior lecturer, University of the arts
• Matthew Charles, Senior Lecturer, University of Westminster
• Catherine Charrett, Senior Lecturer, University of Westminster
• Uracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, Reader in Work and Organization, Birkbeck, University of London
• Jane Cheadle, Senior Lecturer, Kingston School of Art
• Athina Myrto Chioni, Senior lecturer, Kingston university London
• Hannah Cross, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Westminster
• David Cunningham, Professor of Modern Literature and Culture, University of Westminster
• Mike Cushman, Reseach Fellow (rtd), LSE
• Radha D’Souza, Professor of Law, Development & Conflict Studies, University of Westminster
• Gareth Dale, Reader in political economy, Brunel University
• Roland Dannreuther, Professor, University of Westminster
• Wojciech Dmochowski, Lecturer, New City College
• Wayne Dooling, Senior Lecturer in African History, SOAS, University of London
• Chandni Dwarkasing, Lecturer, SOAS
• Nick Ferguson, SL, Contemporary Art, Kingston University
• Torr Fischman, PhD student, University College London
• Laur Fitton, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Pepa Galan, Lecturer, University of Westminster
• Craig Gent, Fellow, LSE
• Val Gillies, Professor of Social Policy, University of Westminster
• Annie Goh, Course Leader, University of Arts London
• Jonathan Goodhand, Professor in Conflict and Development Studies, SOAS
• Stephen Gourlay, Associate Professor, Kingston University
• Frances Grahl, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Maggie Gray, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Lina Hakim, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Nicholas Harrison, Professor, King’s College London
• Sian Hawthorne, Senior Lecturer, SOAS University of London
• Andy Higginbottom, Associate Professor (retired), Kingston University, London
• Maggie Humm, Emeritus Professor, University of East London
• Marina Isaac, Lecturer, Kingston University
• Eric Jeanpierre, Senior Lecturer in Law, Kingston University
• Séagh Kehoe, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, University of Westminster
• Teleica Kirkland, Lecturer in Cultural and Historical Studies, UAL, London College of Fashion
• Katherine Kubicki, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Tim Lawrence, Professor, University of East London
• Bruno Leipold, Assistant Professor, LSE
• Les Levidow, Senior Research Fellow, Open University
• Jo Littler, Professor of Culture, Media and Social Analysis, Goldsmiths, University of London
• Lucia Llano Puertas, Lecturer, University of Westminster
• Yosefa Loshitzky, Professorial Research Associate, SOAS University of London
• Rowan Lubbock, Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary, University of London
• Moshé Machover, Professor emeritus, KCL
• Thomas MacManus, Senior Lecturer in State Crime, Queen Mary University of London
• Caoimhe Mader McGuinness, Senior Lecturer in Drama, Kingston University London
• Marc Mason, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Westminster
• Marjorie Mayo, Emeritus professor, Goldsmiths University of London
• Federica Mazzara, Reader, University of Westminster
• Omar McDoom, Associate Professor, London School of Economics
• Emma McEvoy, Senior lecturer, University of Westminster
• Richard McEwan, UCU National Executive member, New City College, Poplar
• Jack McGinn, Communications Manager, LSE Middle East Centre
• Kate Meagher, Professor in Development Studies, London School of Economics
• James Miller, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
• Owen Miller, Lecturer in Korean Studies, SOAS University of London
• David Morris, Lecturer /Research Fellow, University of the Arts London
• Mica Nava, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies, University of East London
• Zadoc Nava, lecturer, University of Arts
• Mark Newman, Reader, University College London
• Amita Nijhawan, Senior Educational Developer, UAL
• Liam Orr, Lecturer, New City College – Arbour Square
• Christina Paine, NEC, branch chair LMU, London metropolitan university
• David Perez-Suarez, Principal Research Software Engineer, UCL
• Anat Pick, Professor of Film, Queen Mary University of London
• Regine Pilling, Branch Secretary / Lecturer, Capital City College
• Barbara Pizziconi, Reader in Japanese Applied Linguistics, SOAS, University of London
• Sharri Plonski, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Queen Mary University of London
• Tim Pringle, Reader, SOAS, University of London
• Peg Rawes, Professor, UCL
• Matteo Rizzo, Senior Lecturer, Department of Development Studies, SOAS
• Luke Roberts, Senior Lecturer in Modern Poetry, King’s College London
• Rachel Rosen, Professor of Sociology, UCL
• Jonathan Rosenhead, Emeritus Professor of Operational Research, London School of Economics
• Joy Saleh, Associate Professor, Kingston University
• Matteo Sarno
• Donald Sassoon, Emeritus Professor of Comparative European History, Queen Mary University of London
• Stephanie Schwartz, Associate Professor, University College London
• Tanya Serisier, Professor of Feminist Theory, Birkbeck
• Ala Shehabi, Associate Professor, University College London
• Tim Stephens, Education Developer, University of the Arts London
• Anastasia Stouraiti, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History, Goldsmiths, University of London
• Sanna Ström, PhD candidate in law, London South Bank University
• Vlastimir Sudar, Senior Lecturer in Critical and Historical Studies, Kingston University
• Dave Thorpe, Tutor, City Lit.
• Jeremy Till, Emeritus Professor, Central Saint Martins, UAL
• Sara Vaghefian, Lecturer, University of the Arts London
• Roberto Veneziani, Professor of Economics, Queen Mary University of London
• Iris Wakulenko, Senior Lecturer, University of the Arts London
• Sean Wallis, Principal Research Fellow (and secretary of London Region UCU), UCL
• Alex Warwick, Professor of English Studies, University of Westminster
• Cecilia Wee, Tutor, Royal College of Art
• Xanthe Whittaker, Lecturer, University of Leeds
• Douglas William, Retired, Kingston
• Luke Williams, Senior Lecturer, Creative Writing, Birkbeck
• Leigh Wilson, Professor of English Literature, University of Westminster
• Rosemarie Wilson, Retired FE lecturer
• Kalpana Wilson, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck, University of London
• Richard Wistreich, Professor of Music History, Royal College of Music
• Kayleigh Woods Harley, Co-chair Birkbeck UCU, Birkbeck University of London
• Rosa Woolf Ainley, Tutor, Royal College of Art
• Tristram Wyatt, Honorary Research Fellow, University College London
• Waseem Yaqoob, Lecturer in History, Queen Mary University of London
• Nira Yuval-Davis, Professor Emeritus, University of East London
• Asma Zubairi, Assistant Professor, University College London