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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why so many pensioners are supporting Palestine Action, even willing to risk prison for it ?

288 replies

PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 02:42

Palestine Action showed their true colours a long time ago. I strongly oppose a lot of Netanyahu's actions- I don't object to a protest for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. That wasn't Palestine Action's agenda, though.

I would've thought people 60+ would have, on average, accumulated more wisdom. Young people have often been swept up into radical movements with dangerous agendas (look at 60s protestors who thought Castro & co.were nice etc). It's no excuse..but is a BIT easier to see why young people (student age) might fall for this kind of stuff. Also people now seem to have less media literacy, esp SM.

But why are 60+ year olds getting caught up in it?? Willing to go to prison? What is going on? This hasn't happened before with stuff like BLM or Extinction Rebellion, so what us going on now?

OP posts:
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9
noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 10:26

Hankunamatata · 10/10/2025 10:22

My parents remember the second world war. They saw the images of concentration camps. Its hitting close to that

The proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group is nothing like a concentration camp. You appear to be mixing up your causes.

Cromsonride · 10/10/2025 10:29

Thegreyhound · 10/10/2025 08:31

Ooo exciting, another thread about Palestine set up so everyone can have the same old arguments and the same old posters can come on and trot out the same old lines!

Including your own lines.

CottongrassPrincess · 10/10/2025 10:29

TheFallenMadonna · 10/10/2025 07:03

My mum is in her 70s and protested at Greenham Common back in the 80s. Women-led protests were pretty widespread, so it might well be picking up where they left off, rather than suddenly embracing protest in their old age.

This!

ForWittyTealOP · 10/10/2025 10:53

beachcitygirl · 10/10/2025 08:27

@ForWittyTealOP would you like to apologise and define what you mean by holocaust co-opter? or should I just report your hateful post?

Report what you like since you've helpfully repeated what I said!

MissyB1 · 10/10/2025 10:59

Plantatreetoday · 10/10/2025 02:59

I should also just say I applaud them all. I think they are amazing

Me too!

Thegreyhound · 10/10/2025 11:09

Cromsonride · 10/10/2025 10:29

Including your own lines.

Show quote history

No, I’m not going to bother. Everyone can see what is going on- relentless bot flooding on agreed attack lines. It’s so obvious and so boring, not even subtle.

SpanThatWorld · 10/10/2025 11:15

PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 04:31

Exactly! So why are so many people, who are definitely old enough to know better, supporting them?

This didn't happen with BLM, Extinction Rebellion, etc

So why are pensioners turning out in droves to risk arrest for a pro-Hamas group??

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It did happen for those actions.

Lots of older people were active when younger. Anti- Vietnam War, pro-CND, Greenham Common, Miners'Strike, anti-Iraq War... Many are also active with Greenpeace and subsequently XR...

Our generations hoped for a better future then. Now that we no longer have careers etc to worry about, we have the time to protest. And yes, the wisdom to recognise when a rule should be challenged.

noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 11:21

SpanThatWorld · 10/10/2025 11:15

It did happen for those actions.

Lots of older people were active when younger. Anti- Vietnam War, pro-CND, Greenham Common, Miners'Strike, anti-Iraq War... Many are also active with Greenpeace and subsequently XR...

Our generations hoped for a better future then. Now that we no longer have careers etc to worry about, we have the time to protest. And yes, the wisdom to recognise when a rule should be challenged.

Show quote history

It's being challenged in the courts. Do you not believe in legal processes?

HarrietPierce · 10/10/2025 11:24

spoonbillstretford · Today 04:06

"I would not trust an element on the marches not to be violent and/or anti-semitic. To me the marches are stoking division and hatred not promoting peace. Plus I don't support terrorist organisations"

And does your comment apply to the many Jewish people on the marches as well?

Plantatreetoday · 10/10/2025 11:57

beachcitygirl · 10/10/2025 06:35

@AlloftheTime 💯 and also the arrest of a woman last week for holding a sign saying she disagrees with the decision to designate Palestine action a terrorist org.
it’s becoming an affront to democracy and quickly and frighteningly a police state.

Agree

Neemie · 10/10/2025 12:05

They have the time to protest because they are retired and don’t have young children. They spend a lot of time online and listening to/watching the news and get fired up.

Doodlingsquares · 10/10/2025 12:10

Wibble128 · 10/10/2025 09:07

It is not supporting Palestine so much as anti semitism and the desire to disrupt.

Disagreeing with the actions of the state of Israel is not anti semitism. Plenty of Jewish people are horrified at what is happening in Gaza just as plenty of Palestinians are horrified at the abhorrent actions of Hamas

noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 12:19

Doodlingsquares · 10/10/2025 12:10

Disagreeing with the actions of the state of Israel is not anti semitism. Plenty of Jewish people are horrified at what is happening in Gaza just as plenty of Palestinians are horrified at the abhorrent actions of Hamas

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Are you disagreeing that there is any antisemitism on these marches or support for Hamas?

noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 12:21

I mean, Richard Barnard, the co-founder of Palestine Action is awaiting trial for expressing support for Hamas.

Another prominent member of Palestine Action, Sarah Wilkinson, has just been arrested on arrival back to the UK from the Gaza flotilla for her support for Hamas.

They're not a decent organisation.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 10/10/2025 12:37

spoonbillstretford · 10/10/2025 08:27

Yeah, and it's all 80 year olds on the marches 🙄🙄🙄

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The THREAD is about pensioners.

Make your mind up about your topic.

Sartre · 10/10/2025 12:39

Because they are retired so have no career to risk. Simple.

RanchRat · 10/10/2025 13:08

Lots of us old women have been standing up for what is right all our lives:

Free abortion on demand - a woman's right to choose.
Grunwicks
Kilner House
Thirteen dead. nothing said.
Free Nelson Mandela
Greenham
Troops Out
Women against pit closures
Stop the War
Extinction Rebellion
Black Lives Matter
Palestine Action

Maybe it's time for OP to step up, we won't be around much longer.

Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:43

Bigminnie1 · 10/10/2025 06:48

Please tell me this is a typo - Jesus fucking Christ - you don’t condemn Hamas?

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She doesn't condemn the IRA or anti-apartheid violence, either....🙄

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:45

noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 12:21

I mean, Richard Barnard, the co-founder of Palestine Action is awaiting trial for expressing support for Hamas.

Another prominent member of Palestine Action, Sarah Wilkinson, has just been arrested on arrival back to the UK from the Gaza flotilla for her support for Hamas.

They're not a decent organisation.

Thank you! People seem to be missing the point. Normally I would strongly disagree with banning an organisation but terrorist support is a red line.

Seeing people support Hamas openly on this thread is deeply worrying.

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:47

Kendodd · 10/10/2025 08:28

Interesting how voting for brexit is posted as a sign of lack of wisdom now. And not a single poster has disagreed Grin

I was pro Brexit. I still think the EU setup we had wasn't working, but it seems the other option was worse. I'm still thinking about it, let's not derail.

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:49

Greenwitchart · 10/10/2025 09:11

Do you expect pensioners to just stay at home knitting or watching soaps?

How patronising.

Today's pensioners would have been involved in protests as students and beyond and continued with their activism through life.

Also as pensioners I assume they have long run out of fucks to give and don't need to worry about getting a criminal record that might affect their work life.

I think they are amazing! It is important to support freedom of speech and the right to protest in this country.

Of course not. What I expect them to do is not turn out to support an organisation whose leaders openly support the terrorists Hamas. I think that's reasonable..

OP posts:
Plantatreetoday · 10/10/2025 14:49

PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:45

Thank you! People seem to be missing the point. Normally I would strongly disagree with banning an organisation but terrorist support is a red line.

Seeing people support Hamas openly on this thread is deeply worrying.

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Who has supported Hamas on this thread.
I’ve read all posts ( and gone back over ) including those deleted and not one has supported hamas

Can you screen shot these please

Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:53

noblegiraffe · 10/10/2025 09:59

The proscription of Palestine Action is being appealed in the courts so I've no idea why they would protest instead of letting the legal process take its course.

I suspect they don't actually know what they are protesting about. Interviews in the Guardian with some of those arrested talked about genocide in Gaza - which is fine, but the aren't protesting about genocide in Gaza, they are protesting about a group in the UK who have been proscribed in the UK for actions taken in the UK.

One of those arrested turned up on my thread about this to claim that the military planes that were damaged by Palestine Action were used to refuel Israeli bombers which is demonstrably false as they use different refueling systems. He also appeared to think that it was ok that Palestine Action put a police officer in hospital if it could be argued that they didn't use a sledgehammer to do it.

Palestine Action have a training manual and list targets that include other RAF bases. The slogan 'I support Palestine Action' means 'I support further attacks on the UK military at a time when we are essentially at war with Russia'. This is something that if it were foreigners were doing would be a huge concern for UK citizens.

So I think the pensioners being arrested are either stupid, or haven't actually done their research.

Indeed. Incredibly stupid, at best...

It just shows that propaganda from groups like Hamas can influence any age. I did feel rather indignant when papers were blaming Gen Z as being particularly stupid for supporting Hamas (as too many have) & being overly 'woke' etc etc Clearly a lot of people of all ages have been worryingly keen to believe PA are bravely standing up for freedom fighters ☹️

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessSophieFrederike · 10/10/2025 14:54

Plantatreetoday · 10/10/2025 14:49

Who has supported Hamas on this thread.
I’ve read all posts ( and gone back over ) including those deleted and not one has supported hamas

Can you screen shot these please

Show quote history

Come on, for one, beachcitygurl openly said October 7 was right. She's deleted now, but her posts condoning the IRA are still up

OP posts:
Plantatreetoday · 10/10/2025 14:59

.
It’s not just a few pensioners that disagree with PA designated as a terrorist organisation.
It is a recognised abuse of the word by many including highly regarded world organisations

The Court case is in November

To wonder why so many pensioners are supporting Palestine Action, even willing to risk prison for it ?
To wonder why so many pensioners are supporting Palestine Action, even willing to risk prison for it ?