Branded a terrorist- Attack on free speech?!

[wavingfuriously]

BBC News - 'My daughter was branded a terrorist'
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmvxgkwg17o

this is crazy!

From the link you posted, she's charged with "criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary" nothing to do with anything she said or free speech?

I "believe in justice" and am also not happy about Israels actions in Gaza but I have managed never to get arrested or branded a terrorist.
This girl was charged with criminal damage amongst other things so it doesn't sound much like a peaceful protest, if these young people choose to act like this then they have to realise that there are consequences for their actions,its a risk and one they need to take in full knowledge of the repercussions and not get their Mum involved afterwards.
Freedom of speech is an absolute right but it sounds like she did a lot more than speak

Are they really going to hold her for 12 months with no bail? Surely justice needs to be swifter than this?

"Although Zoe was not charged with a terror offence, she and the other activists arrested at the same time were denied bail because the Crown Prosecution Service claimed there might still be a terror link"

They won't be making that claim out of thin air. But the reasons for it (and for them being held for Terrorism Offences) suggests there is considerably more to this than can be reported at present. She might not however have been radicalised herself, but may have moved towards a set of people who are and whose activities need investigation and countering.

The charges she faces do not relate to the freedom of speech (which btw is not an absolute right eg hate speech can be a criminal offence). They relate to criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder.

Yes that length of time remanded is lengthy, but that's the unfortunate reality of how long it is currently taking. And as the sentence range for aggravated burglary is 1-13 years, for violent affray fine - 3 years, and criminal damage fine - 10 years then if she is found guilty her time on remand is not likely to exceed the minimum length of custodial sentence she faces.

Hmm, I'm torn on this.

Non-peaceful protest has always had consequences so part of me thinks she needs to suck it up. I presume this was the "protest" where they crashed a van into the building and vandalised company property.

However, the new laws are being applied in a heavy handed way that concerns me. I think the mum of the other young woman Fatema Zainab sums it up well when she says "I believe the counter-terrorism legislation was used to intimidate and scare them and used as an excuse to keep them for longer"

I think we as a country need to keep a close watch on how this relatively new legislation is being applied.

Sounds like it relates to this incident:

"Elbit Systems UK has been targeted by activists on numerous occasions in recent months. The most serious incident taking place on Tuesday, August 6. It involved a masked group breaking into the premises with a van before smashing up equipment inside.
It is alleged that employees of the company and two police officers were seriously assaulted during the break-in. Charges levelled against the suspects include criminal damage, aggravated burglary, violent disorder, grievous bodily harm with intent and actual bodily harm.
All those arrested following the action on August 6 were initially detained under the Terrorism Act, allowing police seven days to hold and question them before they had to be charged or released."

Well if this indeed the event, then I have absolutely no sympathy. Actions have consequences which she will now have learned

Throw the book at the bedwetter!

Oh dear !A middle class thug with criminal damage on her rap sheet- she can’t expect special privileges as a bed wetter .

Oh, dear. Mummy can't make it all go away with a snotty phone call to the school anymore.

Hopefully there is clear video evidence of what happened and unequivocal evidence of exactly what her adult offspring is being investigated for/charged with. Would be interested to hear what she thinks after seeing all of it.

Peaceful protest is one thing.
Aggravated assault is quite another.
Smashing up places isn’t a good look.

These parents think saying “ But Autism” is a get out of jail free card.

My mum protested peacefully for decades (CND) especially- There is zero excuse for violent disorder, and then wanting their child to be released “ Cuz autism” “cuz she’s into social justice” is very entitled.

This was not a peaceful protest. There are many non violent ways to take direct action. It sounds like mummy thinks because she is middle class and has a ‘good cause’ she is not a common criminal. Well tough.

As for terrorism, imagine if a group of (say) Irish people attacked a British defence firm. The police must have had reasonable evidence or they wouldn’t have been able to hold them.

Sounds like these girls were very poorly advised by the organisation who coordinated this protest.

Being arrested and charged with something, usually a public order offence, is always a possibility.

I don't know what they actually did on the protest, whether they were caught up in things and were on the fringes of the violent disorder that occurred or were actually violent themselves. I guess as we are still awaiting legal proceedings their mum can't talk about it publicly.

I do think there is a slippery slope with using terrorist powers/ legislation to curtail protest. There are already plenty of legislation to deal with it, I think it's overkill.

But these two are where they are and I hope the publicity gets them bail at least.

Spot on, Tiker!

The mother is on X calling her daughter “a political prisoner”

The mother has a username like “ Subversive “

Entitled middle class twits.

Avon and Somerset police say it was a nasty event with police and employees being seriously assaulted.
This 20 yr old woman has been arrested ( by name) for “Violent disorder”.

So she wasn't charged with a terrorism offence, just criminal damage. May be if her mother had brought her up to support Israel and the defence industry and not to breach UK legislation nor to attack the UK's and our ally Israel's very important defence industry this would not have happened.

Sometimes, non-peaceful protest can be justified. Part of that protest is accepting that the consequences for your actions is part of the protest.

that means if you want to engage in actual criminal activity and call it protest, you need to be prepared to be labeled a terrorist and go to prison. It should be part of your plan from the beginning.

If the cause is not worth the punishment, then the cause is not worth your action.

Hmm mum needs to get a grip and 'victim' needs to grow TF up!

Oh boo hoo. She's facing the consequences of her actions.

I can't be doing with these entitled brats thinking their upbringing is going to protect them from the realities of life.

And I'm pro Palestine. She's just an idiot.

This was nothing to do with free speech at all. What happened in the early hours of that morning:

Six arrested and police officer hospitalised after activists attack arms firm

A prison van was driven through the perimeter fencing at around 4am and used to ram into the entrance of the premises on Bolingbroke Way in Filton.

More than a dozen activists from Palestine Action got out of the van and smashed as much as they could inside the Israeli-owned arms manufacturer’s site; leaving behind sledgehammers, axes, whips and other homemade weapons.

Police say that two officers were assaulted with a sledgehammer with one taken to hospital with injuries to her back, while the other officer received medical treatment at the scene by paramedics after being struck on the back of his legs.

At least one Elbit employee was also treated at the scene for an injury to their head.

In a statement, Avon & Somerset Police superintendent Paul Wigginton said: “There is no justification whatsoever for what happened and those responsible will face severe consequences.

“Enquiries are continuing at the premises and the vehicle used to gain entry to the site along with the weapons recovered will be forensically analysed soon. A full review of CCTV cameras from the area is also underway.”

He added: “The officers who responded to what was initially a report of a burglary demonstrated great courage when faced with offenders armed with weapons.

“It is a sad fact that officers now expect to face acts of violence as they respond to crimes in action and protect the public.

“This is completely unacceptable and anyone responsible for such shameful behaviour can expect to go to prison.”

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/six-arrested-police-officer-hospitalised-activists-attack-arms-firm/

Just imagine one of her peers, just sitting behind their desk doing their entry level job, suddenly being confronted by a load of people smashing things up and threatening everyone?
Just march and wave a placard, speak online and in public about your beliefs. But don't cause severe alarm and distress to normal people trying to do their jobs.

Did her mum think her daughter would be patted on the head and sent home? Did she not bring her daughter up to understand that actions have consequences? How does mum feel about the rioters who have been jailed? I'm sure some of them thought they were taking up a moral stance.
We all have views on lots of things, but there is a point where protest becomes criminal, and this was one.

What is the significance of "bed wetter"? I've never seen it used as an insult and yet it has been used twice on this post. Have I missed something? Seems odd.

This is not an attack on free speech. It's the law doing its law stuff on people who commit assault and damage.