On Saturday 23rd of November, as the Resistance Kitchen marked 109 days that the #Filton10 have been unjustly imprisoned for trying to stop genocide in Gaza, eight more activists were imprisoned for allegedly taking part in the same action of smashing an Israeli armaments research and production facility near Bristol.
Crimes Against Humanity
In a week when the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister for committing crimes against humanity in Gaza, the British state was busy violently arresting 8 more activists, on behalf of Israel, for trying to stop the very same crimes against humanity being committed in Gaza!
This moral bankruptcy shouldn’t be surprising, from day one the UK has been a partner in the genocide, sending weapons to kill women and children in Gaza, and giving political cover to Israel to ensure the slaughter continues uninterrupted. Even after the arrest warrants were issued when the PM’s spokesperson was asked about it he described Israel as “a key partner”.
Battle Tested
The 8 brave souls are accused of involvement in the same weapons decommissioning as the original Filton 10. The 18 are accused of dismantling Israel’s Elbit Systems facility at Filton. Elbit Systems boasts of providing 85% of the weapons used to commit genocide in Gaza, and market their weapons around the world’s as “battle tested” against Palestinians.
Abuse Of Law
Despite tacitly admitting that the original Filton 10, were wrongly arrested under terror powers as subsequently no terror charges were made, the police again arrested these 8 activists under terror powers. A clear abuse of the law, which allowed the police at Hammersmith police station extended powers to interrogate them for 84+ hours whilst caged in solitary confinement with no contact with their families. One was starved with just 300 calories being provided a day. Another went on hunger strike in protest at the unjust imprisonment.
Stand For Justice
Whilst they were being interrogated inside, their family and friends gathered outside the police station demanding their freedom.
The youngest arrested was 19 years old Qesser. Her roommate spoke passionately outside the police station about Qesser and described the raid on their home:
Two night ago our home was raided, they came at 5am, they came in the dark. They smashed the door down. About 20 police officers raided the house. They were really well armed, helmets on. Honestly I was terrified and they came into my room , pulled me out of bed and about 5 officers stayed with me in my room in the dark. I had to ask several times to at least let me put a hijab on. They were hostile and refused to tell me anything. They separated us both and they wouldn’t let us speak to one another. It was hours. Later when I saw through a crack of the door Qesser being let out in handcuffs. But when I looked at Qesser, she was calm. She was calmer than I was. I was panicked and I was scared.
I want to tell you all about a conversation that Qesser and I actually had a few nights ago
We were speaking about the people of Palestine and speaking about their strength and she said to me that Allah does not give a soul a burden greater than it can bear… we have a strength that was given to us and it is our duty to do what Allah commands us to do and to stand for justice. We won’t be intimidated because we know that they don’t have power. Power is only where Allah decrees it to be and Allah gives power to those who stand for what is right and all of us should take that inspiration from Qesser and Zahra and I hope that is what you guys can take away from today.
Qesser Zuhrah, and Zahra Farooque are the two youngest that were arrested in these raids. Qesser is only 19, whilst Zahra is 24.
Inspiring
Its so inspiring to hear the younger generation firmly root their activism in their own culture – in Islam. All too often Islam is marginalised and we are asked to unite under some eurocentric secular ideology. The solidarity movement as a whole needs to delolonise their thinking and reject the perceived universality of Western knowledge and the superiority of Western culture and understand there are other ways of being in the world, and accept that there are equally valid non-eurocentric knowledge hierarchies outside of western thinking that can inspire activism, liberation struggles and civilisations around the world. Foremost amongst these is Islam.
Other Interesting Posts:
Over 100 Days Of Unjust Imprisonment – #Filton10 Day 102
Three Months Unjustly Imprisoned – #Filton10 Day 95
Still Being Denied Mail – #Filton10
Perverted Judicial System – #Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned 81 Days
#Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned For 74 Days – Sign The Petition
Free the #Filton10 – Unjustly Imprisoned for 67 Day
Unjustly Imprisoned For Two Months – #Filton10 Day 60
Unjustly Imprisoned For Over 50 Days – #Filton10 Day 53
Teacher Joins Pupils In Writing To #Filton10
#Filton10 – Day 46
#Filton10 Preliminary Hearing
Unjustly Imprisoned For Over A Month – #Filton10 Day 32