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Original poster

What should happen about the hunger strikers?

429 replies

noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 13:10

There are a group of people currently on remand in prison awaiting trial for criminal activities taken in support of the (currently) proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action. Some of them have gone on hunger strike and are suffering health impacts and some have been hospitalised.

Their demands appear to be:
to be released on bail
for Palestine Action to be de-proscribed as a terrorist group
for the UK to stop selling arms to Israel

I'm seeing various MPs writing earnest letters to David Lammy as Justice Secretary, saying that he must meet with them urgently to discuss their demands.

And then what?

It should go without saying that I really don't want people to die, and I'm sure that their families must be frantic, but what is actually expected to happen here? The proscription of Palestine Action is being appealed in the courts and I don't think people threatening to kill themselves should impact the democratic process.

Being released on bail? While I agree that it is shocking that they have been held in prison for 2 years while awaiting trial, because the justice system should work faster than that, they are active members of a currently proscribed terrorist organisation. At least one of the hunger strikers took part in the attack on Elbit where a female police officer had her back broken by one of the activists who attacked her with a sledgehammer while she lay on the ground. There's plenty of video footage of this, and I don't think the hunger strikers have condemned it. If they did get bail by threatening to kill themselves, surely everyone would then give it a go?

So what should happen?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
QuirkyMoose · 13/12/2025 13:15

What if I went on a hunger strike until I received £10 million and was named honorary Queen of England?
And I strapped myself somewhere very public, so lots of people would see me everyday, and all the news outlets were covering what I was doing, and people were talking about it.
Would I get my demands met?
And, should I get my demands met just because I demand them and I refuse to eat and I'm going to get sick?

We all have needs and wants..
Some of them are reasonable and some of them are not.
There are many reasonable demands that are not being met that so many people feel strongly about.
There are many good reasons for people to protest.
Doesn't mean that they get what they want.

If I were to tie myself up to a public flagpole and make demands, and refuse to eat until I get my demands, I would fully expect to starve to death.

user362905 · 13/12/2025 13:18

Absolutely nothing should be done. Let their health fail, it was their choice.

You cant give in to this no matter what the cause, otherwise we could all do it to get what we want. Blackmail should never be given in to, otherwise it will never end

ThisHazelPombear · 13/12/2025 13:21

Oh leave them to it.

HellonHeels · 13/12/2025 13:21

Let them get on with it. We cannot legally force feed people unless they don't have capacity. I suppose you could make that case for some them?

NotrialNodeal · 13/12/2025 13:23

Let them starve.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 13:24

user362905 · 13/12/2025 13:18

Absolutely nothing should be done. Let their health fail, it was their choice.

You cant give in to this no matter what the cause, otherwise we could all do it to get what we want. Blackmail should never be given in to, otherwise it will never end

Well that seems obvious. But their supporters (including various MPs) are writing letters to David Lammy saying he urgently needs to meet with them. To do what? Do they think anything would change? Suggesting that Lammy would be to blame if they die.

Why are they not urging the hunger strikers to eat instead? They're the ones who appear to have the choice here.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 13/12/2025 13:25

Let them starve (although my bet is they'll stop before then). No need for the Govt to acquiesce to the demands of terrorist organisations or their supporters.

Perhaps they could be transported to Gaza to show their support from there?

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 13:30

SirChenjins · 13/12/2025 13:25

Let them starve (although my bet is they'll stop before then). No need for the Govt to acquiesce to the demands of terrorist organisations or their supporters.

Perhaps they could be transported to Gaza to show their support from there?

They appear to be zealots so I am not convinced that they all would stop before death.

I also don't think they are short of people who would egg them on and hold them up as martyrs if they do die.

It's a horrible mess tbh. They are all so young.

OP posts:
NotrialNodeal · 13/12/2025 13:37

noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 13:30

They appear to be zealots so I am not convinced that they all would stop before death.

I also don't think they are short of people who would egg them on and hold them up as martyrs if they do die.

It's a horrible mess tbh. They are all so young.

Show quote history

Oh well.

SidekickSylvia · 13/12/2025 13:45

user362905 · 13/12/2025 13:18

Absolutely nothing should be done. Let their health fail, it was their choice.

You cant give in to this no matter what the cause, otherwise we could all do it to get what we want. Blackmail should never be given in to, otherwise it will never end

I agree with this. It's their choice, so leave them to it.

cramptramp · 13/12/2025 13:48

What should happen is they should eat something if they want to. Or not. It’s up to them. Their supporters want them released.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 13:52

cramptramp · 13/12/2025 13:48

What should happen is they should eat something if they want to. Or not. It’s up to them. Their supporters want them released.

Their supporters should want them to eat something. Then they'll get their day in court etc.

Of course at that point, if they are imprisoned for their crimes, their supporters will probably say it was not a fair trial. Despite the video footage of them committing their crimes.

Their supporters are far more complicit in any harm that befalls them as a result of this action than David Lammy, IMO.

OP posts:
JudgeBread · 13/12/2025 13:53

Let the muppets starve. It's cheaper.

MissyB1 · 13/12/2025 13:56

OP how much of a serious threat do you really (and I do mean really) believe these people are? Most of them probably sat on a pavement holding a sign. Do you think they are going to set bombs off on the underground? Walk into selfridges wearing a suicide vest? I suspect there are far more dangerous people getting bail every single day, undoubtedly including men who will go on to murder their wives.

I wonder what you want from this thread, apart from as many posters as possible proclaiming their hope that these prisoners will starve to death?

jimmyeatworld · 13/12/2025 13:56

They sound like a bunch of children having a tantrum. You ignore it. They’re making a choice, you can’t blackmail people into doing what you want.

Gingerkittykat · 13/12/2025 14:10

Have you got a link to a story with more info?

Again, like a PP I am wondering if they are people who are holding up signs or people who have attacked other people.

Two years on remand is outrageous. I think the key to solving this is to bring forward their trial date.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 14:13

MissyB1 · 13/12/2025 13:56

OP how much of a serious threat do you really (and I do mean really) believe these people are? Most of them probably sat on a pavement holding a sign. Do you think they are going to set bombs off on the underground? Walk into selfridges wearing a suicide vest? I suspect there are far more dangerous people getting bail every single day, undoubtedly including men who will go on to murder their wives.

I wonder what you want from this thread, apart from as many posters as possible proclaiming their hope that these prisoners will starve to death?

No, these people were not imprisoned for sitting on a pavement holding a sign. 4 of them took part in an attack on a business where a female police officer had her spine broken by one of the group repeatedly hitting her with a sledgehammer.

Others took part in an attack on our national security by vandalising planes causing millions of damage at taxpayers' expense (while Russia ramps up the threats against us).

Did you not know that?

I don't hope that these prisoners starve to death. I hope that they see sense and start eating. I fear that they won't.

OP posts:
RedTagAlan · 13/12/2025 14:14

It appears to be the MPs for the jailed folks constituencies.

Sir Lindsay says the lack of ministerial response in unacceptable, and said correspondence should be handled swiftly.

I agree with the speaker, the ministers should respond to the MPs voicing concern for their constituents. Never mind what the ministers will say, they should reply to members of the house.

Innocent till proven guilty. For sure, remand people arrested for violence, but keeping non violent folk locked up while their trials are so far away, nah. I don't think remand should ever be for longer than a potential sentence will be, if found guilty.

Tigger18 · 13/12/2025 14:15

Nothing should happen. I can't get worked up about it tbh, the MPs writing letters are idiots. They're criminals who are where they are because of their own stupid choices and if they all starve themselves to death I wouldn't give them a second thought. I'll save my thoughts for the policewoman with life changing injuries obtained during the course of her job thanks.

MO0N · 13/12/2025 14:15

I agree that we shouldn't give into blackmail, but letting them die means that they're followers can declare them as martyrs and use them as a rallying point. I'm not saying that means we should give in to blackmail.
Is it blackmail to sail to the UK in an unseaworthy vessel and then demand entry otherwise you will all drown?

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 14:22

RedTagAlan · 13/12/2025 14:14

It appears to be the MPs for the jailed folks constituencies.

Sir Lindsay says the lack of ministerial response in unacceptable, and said correspondence should be handled swiftly.

I agree with the speaker, the ministers should respond to the MPs voicing concern for their constituents. Never mind what the ministers will say, they should reply to members of the house.

Innocent till proven guilty. For sure, remand people arrested for violence, but keeping non violent folk locked up while their trials are so far away, nah. I don't think remand should ever be for longer than a potential sentence will be, if found guilty.

A police officer's spine was broken.

Why do you think if they're guilty the sentence would be lower than two years? Their alleged crimes are serious.

What would you like Lammy to say and do you think it would make any difference?

OP posts:
PandoraSocks · 13/12/2025 14:23

I don't like the fact that PA demonstrators seem to be egging these young people on from the outside. They might feel pressured into continuing their hunger strike even though they might not want to actually die.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 14:28

Gingerkittykat · 13/12/2025 14:10

Have you got a link to a story with more info?

Again, like a PP I am wondering if they are people who are holding up signs or people who have attacked other people.

Two years on remand is outrageous. I think the key to solving this is to bring forward their trial date.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxq3g9g4eyo

I agree that two years is too long, I'm not sure why there's such a delay. But then we also know the courts have a massive backlog to the point where they're ditching jury trials.

A large crowd of protesters carrying Palestinian flags with a row at the front holding a large white banner which reads 'support the hunger strikers' in red lettering.

Palestine Action hunger strikers call for urgent meeting with ministers

Lawyers for eight remand prisoners waiting to go on trial say they could die in prison as part of their protest.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxq3g9g4eyo

OP posts:
RedTagAlan · 13/12/2025 14:32

noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 14:22

A police officer's spine was broken.

Why do you think if they're guilty the sentence would be lower than two years? Their alleged crimes are serious.

What would you like Lammy to say and do you think it would make any difference?

Show quote history

Read what I wrote. Remand ok for ppl arrested for violence.

Here it is 8 people, two groups of 4 held for 2 different crimes.

Sure, hold the 4 who done the defense company break in, if all 4 have been arrested for violence.

But the 4 accused of vandalizing the planes ?

What happened to ankle bracelets etc.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2025 14:32

PandoraSocks · 13/12/2025 14:23

I don't like the fact that PA demonstrators seem to be egging these young people on from the outside. They might feel pressured into continuing their hunger strike even though they might not want to actually die.

Yes.

One of those hospitalised was only 19 when she was arrested. How was she radicalised?

OP posts: