A Mothers Plea…

Right now, ten activists are being held in UK prisons on remand for damaging weapons intended for use in Gaza. They are being shockingly mistreated, in an outright abuse of draconian counter-terrorism powers. As their family and friends, we’re asking you to sign and share this petition today.

Action against Israeli weapons in the UK

The Filton 10 are charged with taking direct action in August this year to disable weapons at a facility belonging to Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, in Bristol. The weapons included drones currently being used in Gaza, which mimic the sounds of children in distress in order to draw civilians out to help, in order to kill them. 

Six of the ten were arrested on site. Four were arrested in raids on their homes by counter-terrorism police – one of them at gunpoint.

Who is behind this chilling repression of activists? There is evidence of conversations between the Home Office, the CPS, the Israeli Embassy and Elbit Systems UK about stopping pro-Palestine activists which is deeply concerning.  

Treated like ‘terrorists’

Why are our loved ones being treated like terrorists? Six of them are aged 20 – 30. All have strong social consciences – many do voluntary work to help vulnerable people in their communities. They couldn’t bear to see the scale of the suffering of innocent people in Gaza, especially children, and strongly oppose the genocide that Elbit Systems is profiting from, and that the UK government is complicit in.

Yet, in a flagrant abuse of counter-terrorism powers, the ten were held incommunicado in solitary confinement and interrogated constantly for a week without charge.

Despite only subsequently being charged with non-terror offences (including aggravated burglary and criminal damage) they have been held in prison on pre-trial remand since then, and are still being subjected to greater restrictions upon their rights and freedoms than those faced by regular prisoners, on spurious counter-terrorism grounds. 

This has included being denied reading materials and the right to practice religion,  intrusive medical testing, and restrictions on association with other prisoners and communication with the outside world.

One of the ten has been designated an escape risk without due cause, so that they are subjected to additional ill-treatment, including being woken up every hour, all night, every night. This sleep deprivation is a clearly politically motivated form of psychological torture. 

Please act now! Sign the petition

These abuses are being visited on activists opposing the genocide in Gaza now but, if left unopposed, it is a matter of time before they are extended to others as well. If we tolerate this, then our children will be next. 

Please sign our petition to Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for Justice; Right Hon Lord Hermer KC, Attorney General; and Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions.

We are calling on them to:

1. Stop the use of counter-terrorism procedures and powers against the Filton 10 with immediate effect
2. Release all ten on bail
3. Fully disclose any political or foreign interference in policing and prosecution of the activists.