Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think that just because you say something about Israel and Gaza does not mean that you should be threatened with arrest under the terrorism act?

482 replies

cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 18:59

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/17/armed-police-threatened-to-arrest-kent-protester-for-holding-palestinian-flag

She had a sign saying "Free Gaza" and "Israel is committing genocide"

She was threatened with arrest under the terrorism act because a certain group that has been deemed to be a terrorist group also share those same views - and therefore the lady was supporting a terrorist group.

In the encounter, which she filmed, one officer told her: “Mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel, genocide, all of that all come under proscribed groups, which are terror groups that have been dictated by the government.”

He went on to say that the phrase “Free Gaza” was “supportive of Palestine Action”, adding it was an offence “to express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, namely Palestine Action is an offence under section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act”. The officer told her she had committed that offence.

I can think of many groups who share those same beliefs. Having that belief does not mean you support that group.

A Kent police spokesperson said: “Under the Terrorism Act it is a criminal offence to carry or display items that may arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation such as Palestine Action.”

Armed police threatened to arrest Kent protester for holding Palestinian flag

Officers accused Laura Murton who also had a sign saying ‘Free Gaza’ of supporting a proscribed organisation

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/17/armed-police-threatened-to-arrest-kent-protester-for-holding-palestinian-flag

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 08:40

That's the one. It certainly wouldn't mean the extermination of Jews, would it?

Oh no never, absolutely not! After all, it's in the Hamas charter that they want nothing more than to live peacefully alongside their Jewish neighbours.

cakeorwine · 19/07/2025 08:38

ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 08:33

It's a statement saying that Gaza should be free.

What does "free" look like in the context?

Edited

That's irrelevant to the conversation as this is NOT about the conflict but about what does expressing support look like.

Otherwise it's a derail.

Which of those statements I posted do you think should be illegal?

  1. I believe in an independent Basque country
  2. Expressing support for ETA
OP posts:
Dangermoo · 19/07/2025 08:37

ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 08:28

The answer to that will be the naive one.

Is that the one where Gaza would be a thriving democracy and it's all Israel's fault that they aren't?

Edited

That's the one. It certainly wouldn't mean the extermination of Jews, would it?

cakeorwine · 19/07/2025 08:36

Dangermoo · 19/07/2025 08:05

The answer to that will be the naive one.

Can you explain what expressing support for a proscribed organisation would look like?

What statements would be deemed to be those that express support for a proscribed organisation?

Here are 2

1)Someone says "I think that there should be an independent Basque country"
2) Someone says "I support the ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna*"

The ETA is a proscribed organisation.

I think most people can tell the difference between an opinion and someone expressing support for a proscribed organisation

Can you?

OP posts:
ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 08:33

It's a statement saying that Gaza should be free.

What does "free" look like in the context?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 19/07/2025 08:32

What intrrigues me is why this particular woman was targeted for arrest, when the marches have countless others with the same banners, chants, etc.

Naturally she'll present herself as some victimised innocent, but I can't help wondering if there was some additional intelligence we'ree not aware of which brought this about

cakeorwine · 19/07/2025 08:30

ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 06:48

OP can you define what you understand "Free Gaza" to mean?

It's a statement saying that Gaza should be free.

It does not say "I support (insert name of proscribed prganisation)"

The law clearly states that it is illegal to express support for a proscribed organisation.

I think it's quite clear the difference between expressing support for such an organisation and expressing an opinion about a situation.

OP posts:
ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 08:28

The answer to that will be the naive one.

Is that the one where Gaza would be a thriving democracy and it's all Israel's fault that they aren't?

FromTheRiver · 19/07/2025 08:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Dangermoo · 19/07/2025 08:05

ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 06:48

OP can you define what you understand "Free Gaza" to mean?

The answer to that will be the naive one.

ArtTheClown · 19/07/2025 06:48

OP can you define what you understand "Free Gaza" to mean?

spoonbillstretford · 19/07/2025 06:40

Thepeopleversuswork · 18/07/2025 22:00

Regardless of your position on Israel/Gaza, its over-reach by the state to arrest someone for expressing an opinion in support of any political aim. However much the state (or the majority of people) might oppose it.

Indeed, and hence the government did not support the police's action in this case!

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: “Freedom to protest lawfully is a cornerstone of our democracy.

“Palestine Action’s proscription does not and must not interfere with people’s legitimate right to express support for Palestinians.”

buit · 19/07/2025 06:38

Theunamedcat · 18/07/2025 20:41

If it did most of tiktok need to be arrested

the tiktok cult, getting behind a terrorist organisation.
Useful idiots, banging the drum for a conflict they can get behind
(cos it allows them to hate Jews, basically)

TooBigForMyBoots · 18/07/2025 22:14

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:50

Police don't arrest people without cause ffs.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤯

TheCrenchinglyMcQuaffenBrothers · 18/07/2025 22:12

Sorry to quote myself, but in any case, it’s useful to remind myself of the reasons why I don’t usually get involved in threads like this. Because of trolls like you. And the he/she derailing attempt. 🙄. My answer to whether or not humans can change sex, or my answer to who is to blame for the current situation in Gaza, are not the point of this thread. And if they were, they probably wouldn’t deviate from the opinions of those who have espoused these views, and yet that’s how it’s being steered. Pigeons, chess, pigs and wrestling…..

TheCrenchinglyMcQuaffenBrothers · 18/07/2025 22:04

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:50

Police don't arrest people without cause ffs.

…..“Wayne Couzens handcuffed and arrested Sarah Everard before he raped and strangled her, a court has heard”….

ffs, indeed.

Thepeopleversuswork · 18/07/2025 22:00

Regardless of your position on Israel/Gaza, its over-reach by the state to arrest someone for expressing an opinion in support of any political aim. However much the state (or the majority of people) might oppose it.

Dideon · 18/07/2025 22:00

pointythings · 18/07/2025 21:55

Oh you starry eyed moonchild. Of course they do. Remember the protesters at the coronation? They had done absolutely nothing. Everyone gets it wrong at times. The police do too.

Ha ha starey eyed moonchild . More like Ben -gvir and Daniella Weiss’s love child !

TheCrenchinglyMcQuaffenBrothers · 18/07/2025 21:55

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:32

What's wrong - I thought you liked free speech?

Huh? I love free speech, thought that was obvious from my first post.
You seem to be the one against it. You said you were hiding the thread because you didn’t like (and I paraphrase here) the ‘fuckwittery’ and aren’t a ‘gormless fuckwit‘. I have to say your quoted comment is challenging that assertion.

pointythings · 18/07/2025 21:55

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:50

Police don't arrest people without cause ffs.

Oh you starry eyed moonchild. Of course they do. Remember the protesters at the coronation? They had done absolutely nothing. Everyone gets it wrong at times. The police do too.

cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 21:55

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:50

Police don't arrest people without cause ffs.

Well that's a whole new thread.

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 21:54

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:49

You posted the article. Didn't it tell you why they had been arrested? I have remained consistent in that I've got no time for idiots, who cause more harm than good. I'm sure this woman will pursue it if she thinks she's been hard done by. Maybe if she and the hundreds of thousands of other people, who protest knew what was behind the slogans, they would think twice about attaching themselves to them.

The article says that that they were going to be arrested under the Terrorism Act:

“Mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel, genocide, all of that all come under proscribed groups, which are terror groups that have been dictated by the government.”

He went on to say that the phrase “Free Gaza” was “supportive of Palestine Action”, adding it was an offence “to express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, namely Palestine Action is an offence under section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act”. The officer told her she had committed that offence.

And if you haven't noticed, people have been saying that saying "Free Gaza" is not expressing an opinion or belief that is supportive of a terrorist organisation.

Otherwise many people would be arrested under that leglisation

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:50

cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 21:45

This is your quote.
So what law were you referring to?

Police don't arrest people without cause ffs.

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 21:49

cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 21:44

You said that this person had broken the Terrorism Law.

I have given you the leglisation - so surely it's not too hard for you to explain your thinking

You posted the article. Didn't it tell you why they had been arrested? I have remained consistent in that I've got no time for idiots, who cause more harm than good. I'm sure this woman will pursue it if she thinks she's been hard done by. Maybe if she and the hundreds of thousands of other people, who protest knew what was behind the slogans, they would think twice about attaching themselves to them.

cakeorwine · 18/07/2025 21:45

Dangermoo · 18/07/2025 20:10

The law says it does. Why aren't you understanding that? It doesn't matter whether you think it's fair or not. Laws are there to govern conduct.

This is your quote.
So what law were you referring to?

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread