On Saturday 16th November the Resistance Kitchen marked 102 days that 10 courageous souls have been unjustly imprisoned for upholding international law by trying to stop genocide, allegedly by recking an Israeli armaments facility in Bristol owned by Israel’s Elbit Systems that provides 85% of the weapons used in the commission of genocide in Gaza. These weapons include Israel’s lethal fleet of killer drones and quadcopters used in the slaughter of women and children sheltering in UN tents. Some of these were smashed in the direct action.
Abuse Of Terror Powers
The #Filton10 were initially arrested on suspicion of disorder and criminal damage, but then in a flagrant abuse of the law, they were quickly re-arrested under draconian anti-terrorism legislation as terrorists! This allowed the police to interrogate them day and night for a week without charge whilst caged in solitary confinement without access to their families. Interestingly when it came to charging them, the police, knowing the ridiculous terror charges would never stick, dropped them and instead charged them with criminal damage, disorder, and burglary.
More Arrests, More Abuse Of Terror Powers
This changing of the charges was a tacit admission by the police that direct action is not terrorism. Yet this week they again deliberately abused terrorism powers by arresting 10 more people under the same terror charges in connection with the same direct action on Elbit’s Filton facility on 6th August. As before, the 10 are being imprisoned and interrogated in solitary confinement without being charged, with no access to their families.
Violent raids on homes are still ongoing. Reports of doors being smashed and family members not wanted for anything being handcuffed for no reason other that to intimidate. Families are being evicted from their homes, told they cannot return until counter terror police have finished searching their homes which they are told could be between 3 – 14 days.
According to a statement by Counter Terrorism Policing South East, six of the ten arrested are women, including a 19 year old. Of the men, one is 72 years old. Five of the women and one man is from London. Its also been revealed that the majority are Muslims (six out of ten, including four of the women).
One of the women unjustly arrested has began a hunger strike in protest, they are punishing her with 3 extra days in solitary confinement.
Political Interference
It’s clear that this weaponisation of terror legislation against Palestine protesters is politically motivated. Freedom of information requests have revealed that the Attorney General has been liaising directly with the Israel Embassy with regards to Palestine Action.
The so-called ‘independent’ reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, told the BBC last week in a piece on the #Filton10, that the terror laws are being correctly used, that “serious damage to property” was terrorism.
Lord Walney, the so-called ‘independent’ advisor to the Government on political violence and disruption has called Palestine Action “Hamas’ little helpers”! He has called for its proscription by the introduction of a new category of ‘extreme protest groups’ and new legislation banning protests near arms factories. Lord Walney was exposed as having received funding from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs for solidarity trips to Israel. Previously he was chair of the Israel lobby group Labour Friends of Israel.
Last week a mainstream newspaper hosted a call by the Israel lobby to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
This intensification of repression against protests is an indication of the failure of those complicit in genocide, and an indication that Palestine Action is winning.
As a community we must stand in defence of those who have sacrificed their freedom to stop genocide in Gaza.
Other Interesting Posts:
Three Months Unjustly Imprisoned – #Filton10 Day 95
Protest Outside HMP Bronzefield in solidarity with the #Filton10
Justice for the #Filton10 – 88 Days
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
Children send paintings to their “best” teacher #Filton10
#Filton10 Preliminary Hearing