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?

[cakeorwine]

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.”

There are some really sick individuals out there. Too many of them, sadly.

It is a strategy of some posters. Say outrageous comments that is a matter of 'opinon' but sickening all the same. Other posters respond and then report those comments. It is a pattern.

Ah I’m quite new to contributing on Mumsnet so thanks for your reply.

Yes, and then be sanctimonious in calling them out for it. Or just plain rude. Interesting how they never came back here after being called out, they are all over these threads normally.

I was accused by being a terrorist supporter (a poster actually said i should be referred to the police) and being antisemitic by about four posters on a previous thread (for saying something not referring to Israel or Judaism but simply pointing out something). Who absolutely jumped on me.
I asked for evidence. Because I was so fed up of these accusations.
One replied saying they couldn't be bothered trawling through posts.
Another started ranting about how I had supported the actions of XY, who I had never mentioned.
The other two didn't bother replying.
I find myself joining these threads and seeing these names - and honestly I'm not sure if I can put myself through the vicious name calling. Or the nasty arguments. Or the horrible things stated.
(I do not mean everyone contributing to these threads. I may not agree with everyone but I do see posters engaging in good faith. I'm not talking about that).

Agree. The useful idiots are just that...idiots. Mostly white middle aged/elderly women virtue signalling and probably getting paid.

I've seen that too. Posters who make nasty accusations and when asked for evidence produce absolutely nothing.

He should take himself, and his sign to Gaza.
Job done.

Why? Do you not believe in free speech? Would you prefer to live in a Middle Eastern country where you are told what you can and cannot say? Perhaps you already do and think that your rules should apply to the UK.

Of course yanbu op. The mental gymnastics that people are willing to do for genocide to continue unhindered and unquestioned is shocking.
.

And again a misogynistic post.
It's not mostly white middle aged/ elderly women protesting.
And if it was, so what? What's wrong with being a white woman, or an elderly woman or a woman? They're not entitled to protest? To speak up?
What's the mentality behind this?? Hugely insulting on a mother's forum.

I’m getting from your post that you don’t think
its a very good idea for him to take his protest to the area that he’s protesting about.

If that's what you're getting then you need to work on your reading comprehension.

The point remains that nobody should be threatened with arrest for a legitimate form of protest.

Surely, if you take away the identities/nationalities and what you are left with are actions and consequences that you cannot in all conscience, stand by and condone, then that is what is fundamentally important?

People are being wilfully deprived of food, water, shelter, basic amenities. Men, women and children. Places where they should be safe, they are being killed. Schools, homes, hospitals, stations where they have to go to get provisions to enable any hope of basic survival.

They are being run out of their homes, their communities, with nowhere to go.

These actions that are being done to them, are being called war crimes, etc, by the international forums empowered to investigate and make those calls.

That is the here and now, regardless of the identities, regardless of the history.

Another way to look at it, is to turn it around. If it was done unto you, rather than done by you, or done by somebody else to you, would you be thinking of it in different terms?

And yes, I fully put my hand up to being a middle aged white woman who gives a damn. Not sure why anyone would think that should be an insult, or a rebuke that should shut me up, to be honest.

I also do not accept that this in and of itself makes me ignorant, or my opinion or position as being without merit, or worthy only of contemptuous dismissal. Although of course, anyone is more than free to do so. They have the same right to an opinion, including on my opinion, as anybody else.

If 1200 men women and children were slaughtered at Glastonbury and surrounding villages, people kidnapped and not returned and a baby, toddler and their mother taken and murdered - how do you think people in the UK would be feeling?

Hamas are radical Islamists who want to kill all the Jews. You simply cannot look at the conflict without this being relevant.

I absolutely abhor what happened October 7th. That was inutterably, inescapably, wrong and evil. What happened to those men, women, and children.

That does not, cannot change the inescapable wrongness, the evil, of what is being done to these men, women and children.

No need to cheep about my comprehension, thanks.
There is nothing legitimate about allying yourself with a movement that chants for the jews to go back to the oven and advocates for the final solution while raising hitler salutes.

As i said, if he loves Gaza and its regime so much, he can go there and take his placards.

How you get all that from the sing she was holding??? I mean, reading comprehension...

Opposing what the IDF is doing in Gaza does not equate to 'wishing Jews back in the oven' unless one is a diehard zealot who thinks the state of Israel can genuinely do no wrong.

It is possible to find both Hamas and the current Israeli government abhorrent, in fact that is a perfectly logical position to take.

Well a) he had a sign accusing Israel of genocide and b) Free Gaza is a slogan of the PAG which has been rightly deemed to be a terrorist organisation.

wwweeadddinggg comprehensionnnnn.

Its not just "opposing the IDF" though is it.
Its not the innocent opposition to war that has led the pro gaza mob to be labelled as a terrorist org.
Its this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DML2PHqy3N2/

No point trying to sanitise it.

I see I was wrong about the previous poster not returning to this thread..

Same old same old

a) the accusation of genocide is being taken very seriously by several major international organisations, and
b) Free Gaza is not a slogan that is exclusive to a single protest group.

Honestly, zealots are so hard of thinking.

So are antisemites.

Opposing the slaughter of children is not antisemitic. Disapproving of the actions of the current Israeli government is not antisemitic. People should be free to express both sentiments without fear of arrest.