On 21st December, the week before Christmas, the Resistance Kitchen marked 137 days that the #Filton10 have been unjustly caged without trial, simply for opposing genocide, by trying to stop the flow of arms from Israel’s arms facilities in the UK to fuel genocide in Gaza.
Three months later, on 19th November, 8 more activists were arrested and imprisoned without trial in connection with the same direct action, so now we campaign for the release of the #Filton18.
Second Protest Outside HMP Bronzefield
The week began with a second protest outside HMP Bronzefield, on 14th December, where most of the #Filton18 women are imprisoned.
This was a much larger protest than the first one, with Lowkey generously giving a performance as well as an energizing speech on the achievements of Palestine Action.
Shadia from Palestine Action, who herself has taken part in previous actions against Israel’s arms peddler Elbit Systems, made a passionate plea for people to write in to HMP Bronzefield to demand #Filton18 detainee Fatema Zainab, in accordance with her rights under the law, be allowed access to her mail.
Fatema Zainab’s mother in her powerful speech talked of how the quadcopter drones that were destroyed in the direct action are used in Gaza to kill children:
I am Sukaina, the mother of Fatema Zainab, one of the Palestine Action political prisoners on remand in connection with a direct action against Elbit, an Israel arms manufacturer. Today marks 130 days of her imprisonment along with those arrested with her.
The British state has abused the Counter terror laws in the arrest and detainment of the now Filton18.
Our loved ones have strong social consciences – many are involved in voluntary work to help vulnerable people in their communities. They can’t bear to see the scale of the suffering of innocent people in Gaza, especially children, and therefore oppose the genocide that Elbit Systems is profiting from, and that the UK government is complicit in.
The weapons they are allegedly accused of destroying included quadcopter drones currently being used in Gaza, which mimic the sounds of children in distress in order to draw civilians out to help, and then they shoot at them.
Middle East Eye reported on 17th April 2024:
On Sunday and Monday night, residents of the northern parts of Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp woke up to the sounds of babies crying and women calling out for help. When they went outside to locate the source of the cries and provide aid, Israeli quadcopters reportedly opened fire directly at them.
This technology is gradually replacing ground troops.
On 13th November 2024, BBC reported that a retired surgeon Prof Nizam Mamode who volunteered at a hospital in Gaza broke down Giving evidence to the parliamentary International Development Committee as he described children’s accounts of being shot by quadcopter drones.
He described these pellets fired by quadcopter drones more destructive than bullets.
He says, and I quote –
“With the drone pellets, what I found was they would go in and they would bounce around so they would cause multiple injuries.
“I had a seven-year-old boy… He had an injury to his liver, spleen, bowel, arteries, so quite extensive destruction from a single entry point.
On 5th Dec 2024 Amnesty International released a 296 page report concluding Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza. In their report, “You feel like you are sub-human,” Amnesty states and I quote –
“The international community’s seismic, shameful failure for over a year to press Israel to end its atrocities in Gaza, by first delaying calls for a ceasefire and then continuing arms transfers, is and will remain a stain on our collective conscience.” Unquote.
UK is ignoring international law, which in turn is leading to a global breakdown of international law.
Sadly, our country allows arms trade with an internationally recognised war criminal with an ICC arrest warrant to their name to commit a genocide and side with them rather than people of conscience trying to stop one. I am proud of Fatema Zainab and the rest of the Filton18 for their courage and bravery for upholding International law.
I will end with a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Sources:
Other Interesting Posts:
123 Days Of Unjust Imprisonment – #Filton10
Eight More Unjustly Imprisoned – #Filton10 Day 109
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
“Let my best teacher see my painting” – 6 year old writes to HMP Bronzefield
#Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned For 74 Days – Sign The Petition
Letter to HMP Bronzefield – Maltreatment of #Filton10
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