Protest is not terrorism

Eyewitnesses from the “Witness Circle” of civil society organisations at the “Lift the Ban” protest in Parliament Square have described the police as “completely overwhelmed” by the sheer numbers of people holding signs with the words “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action” as a call for defiance of the proscription of the direct action group by Defend our Juries drew thousands. The Metropolitan Police confirmed later that 857 had been arrested under counter-terrorism laws, while a further 33 for other offences.

Police comments to the media painted a picture of violent and abusive protesters, but eyewitnesses in the Square spoke of a very different atmosphere. Civil rights campaigner Suresh Grover said: 

“The ongoing mass protest in parliament square is unprecedented and history in the making. It is completely peaceful and incredibly emotional. Witnessing hundreds of ordinary citizens courting arrest to stop the genocide and the governments complicity in arming Israel brought tears to my eyes. I saw people crying in compassion. The numbers of people participating in this action has surprised the police – at this rate it will take them beyond midnight to arrest over 1000 people.  You can see and hear the disciplined anger at the government’s use of terror legislation against peaceful protestors. The moral courage reminds me of scenes that gave birth to the anti apartheid movement in South Africa, the beginning of the civil disobedience moment in India and the civil rights movement in the USA – it is powerful, peaceful and from now on unstoppable

Peter Hallward, a member of the UCU trade union and philosophy professor described the scene on Saturday evening:

“It’s getting dark and there are still hundreds of people sitting, calm and dignified and silent in the middle of the square. It’s an incredibly beautiful and inspiring thing, to see so many people gathered in peaceful common cause. The police seem hesitant and completely overwhelmed by the scale of their task. The crowds are cheering each person as they are lifted up and carried away. I’ve been in the square all afternoon and apart from shouts of ‘shame on you’ and ‘the whole world is watching’ I’ve not seen any sign of violence against the police or of resistance to arrest.” 

CAGE International’s Head of Public Advocacy, Anas Mustapha, said: 

“As the name suggests, the “Lift the Ban Witness Bloc’’ was witness to the policing of the demonstration, exposing the authoritarian use of counter-terrorism powers to silence dissent. What we and dozens of other supporting organisations witnessed today was a deeply dignified and peaceful protest met with a disturbing show of brute force by police. 

Counter-terrorism powers have been used for over two decades to marginalise Muslim communities in the UK. Now, these very laws are being employed to criminalise solidarity and crush resistance against the live-streamed genocide in Gaza. Today’s civil disobedience brought this all into sharp focus underlining the urgent need to abolish terror laws. The momentum of resistance we saw today cannot be stopped.”

In Scotland, the numbers joining protests on 6 September organised by Defend our Juries and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign also dramatically climbed with nearly 100 engaging in a similar act of mass defiance outside the UK government offices at Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh. They were joined by a 2500-strong march organised by Stop the War Scotland and supported by the Scottish Trade Union Congress, Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the PCS union, Glasgow and Edinburgh Trades Councils, and the Palestine Democratic Forum. 

Demonstrators marched from the Mound to chants of “Lift the Ban” and “Drop the charges” before forming a human wall around people holding signs and wearing t-shirts which have previously seen several arrested in Scotland, including screen-writer Paul Laverty. A spontaneous demonstration marched to Edinburgh’s Waverley train station and held a sit-in in the concourse after hearing reports of an arrest taking place there. 

Jade Eckhaus, co-chair of Stop the War Scotland said: 

“Starmer is trying to break the Palestine movement by drawing a line between ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’ forms of peaceful protest. The incredible action today in Edinburgh made it clear that he’ll come to regret that decision. The unprecedented unity we witnessed, with trade unionists, the Palestine solidarity movement, peace campaigners and the anti war movement, standing together in solidarity with Defend Our Juries activists willing to defy the ban, sends a clear message to the UK and Scottish government: they cannot suppress dissent while backing a live-streamed genocide. Protest is not terrorism and peaceful non violent direct action to disrupt the genocidal war machine will continue until Palestine is free.”

Stuart Graham of Glasgow TUC said: 

“Today’s solidarity action in Edinburgh showed that following the Scottish government’s decision on Thursday to impose a unilateral boycott on the genocidal state of Israel, there now appears to be political support for a position which differs from Westminster’s. So the Scottish government and Police Scotland have a very real choice to make. Will they stand with the people of Palestine and Scottish civil society in opposing the autocratic moves of Starmer and Co., as they continue to be apologists for genocide, or will they actually see sense and wake up to their moral bankruptcy?” 

As Big Ben struck 10 in Parliament Square, and at least 100 people still remained holding signs in anticipation of arrest, the question hung over Westminster – is this ban still really enforceable?