The arrest of 532 activists this weekend, merely for holding signs bearing the slogan “I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action”, marks the biggest day of mass arrests in more than a decade. It is one of the most brutal acts of political repression by the British state in recent memory. At least half of those arrested over the weekend were over 60 years of age, with shocking videos of peaceful and elderly protestors being pulled away by police circulating on social media.
Since the proscription of Palestine Action last month, activists have been arrested and charged as terrorists merely for saying they stand with the non-violent protest group, who the British state treats in the same category as ISIS or the neo-nazi National Action. Despite Starmer’s recent words of opposition to the genocide in Gaza, he has continued to send weapons to the Israeli regime and to ramp up military spending. Meanwhile he has fiercely cracked down on anti-war protests at home in order to defend British imperialism’s interests abroad.
The capitalist state exists to defend the interests of the ruling class – and in this era of political instability, war and crisis, the threat of state repression has become an ever-greater danger for activists. These arrests must be met with mass opposition to make the law unenforceable!
We say:
- Build a joint struggle involving Palestine activists, trade unions and other campaigners in defence of those arrested. Drop the charges now!
- The new left party should stand for the scrapping of ALL anti-protest and anti-strike legislation. Reverse the ban on Palestine Action!
- End all arms sales to Israel NOW. For workers’ action to block all arms production and shipments. Nationalise the arms factories for a planned transition toward socially useful production with no loss of jobs and pay.
