Palestine Action protests

[BettyBooper]

I do realise that this is the FWR board, but there are some undercurrents of similarity, which is my interest.

Palestine Action has be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. This protest (to my understanding) was about that decision, not about the issue in Palestine itself.

I'm concerned that what was about Palestine is now in sizable number (as reported), elderly people protesting in support of a proscribed terrorist organisation.

You can protest about Palestine without supporting this organisation. So what's happening here?

I think my concern is that bad actors are using well meaning people to push an ideology. Which is the similarity with gender ideology and hence me posting here.

Again, my concern is that the protest appears to be in support of a group rather than the cause.

Do you disagree that the levels of public awareness and media coverage are completely different? Do you really think the Saudi’s actions in Yemen have been similarly covered and protested?

As far as British involvement goes, we are just as involved with other regimes. For example, we cooperate militarily with the Saudis. Obviously each conflict is different and our relations with these countries vary in some ways, but I can’t see any differences there are anything like big enough to justify the huge difference in media and public interest.

He has a bias, but TBF in video he posted he made it clear that people on both marches were polite and that there wasn't any trouble (he went to 2 marches one against anti-Semitism and a proPalestine march). The main points seemed to be that there were union jack flags at the pro-Israel/anti anti-Semitism march as well as Israeli flags. At the pro-Palestine march there weren't many UK flags. This was remarked upon as significant. Plus some people were carrying from the river to the sea placards who on being questioned didn't know what they meant. Kisin's opinion seemed to be that from the river to the sea is fundamentally genocidal whereas other people (who do know what the statement means) might disagree with that. But yes the river to the sea thing seemed to be the main point of contention for him. I'm on the fence because on the one hand people should know what slogans they are chanting. But on the other hand he was putting people on the spot a bit street interview styley and I never liked those on principle (as someone who forgets my own name under pressure but that's just me).

But yeah, to summarise it's a very long video of Konstantin Kisin and cameraman walking around a very large protest asking people questions and being answered politely. Some people couldn't say what the slogans they were holding meant which was a bit of a gotcha moment. A slight air of disappointment that nothing more dramatic/confrontational happened. It's not that interesting a video but I guess it's a useful snapshot of how the British protest (more boringly than American students seemingly.)

Then no wonder you're clearly so misinformed 🫣

The UK deliberately turns a blind eye to what's happening to the uighurs because of the amount of trade we do with China, but the great 'humanitarians' who are so mobilised over Gaza conveniently turn a blind eye to this. I'm stumped as to the reason why

It's like those YouTube short videos where they ambush Americans on the street and ask them "name a country starting with A" and the funny Americans look panicked and answer "Africa". And everyone watching can chuckle and go "AHH Americans" or "women" or "Florida" depending on personal prejudice. They are amusing but don't really tell you anything about the actual knowledge level of people from there.

That's completely different. You'd think people at a protest would actually know what they were chanting for/about

PA have appealed against their proscription and the hearing is in November. The perpetrators of the airbase attack are still to stand trial and there are reporting restrictions on the evidence against them.
How can any of you confidently assert that it is wrong to proscribe them when you have only a partial picture.
When Shipman was arrested there were protests by his patients and their relatives confidently asserting that he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice as he was so lovely. They all melted away when a fuller picture emerged.
It is naive to think that PA weren't infiltrated and more is known about them than is currently in the public domain.
Some people need to grow up.

Where's the terror in damaging property?

FYI

Well I would agree.

But the two things are being lumped together.

If the protesters were holding banners saying 'i don't agree with PA being labelled a terrorist organisation ' (not very catchy, I know), that would be one thing. Plenty of people are having that discussion and none of them are being arrested.

However, what we have here is people protesting in support of Palestine whilst at the same time holding placards stating 'i support Palestine Action'. Which is stating an affiliation to that group.

I completely agree with the first.

The second concerns me because I'm not convinced that this is really about free speech at all.

Oh for sure I would be embarrassed if I was them. I just don't think it is an earth shattering AHah moment that, that happened. It was a really large protest and he was clearly walking around the whole day looking for good content (and again to be fair he did do a reasonable job at being balanced, letting people speak. For example, there were lots of people who were better informed who, despite the fact he is open about his own views, he also showed). It felt a bit like they were hoping for a super dramatic moment, or a crayzee leftist doing something crayzee but there wasn't. The ditsy students were as interesting as it got. Confrontation would have made for a more interesting video but I guess it's good there aren't as many crazy people about as you'd think. And the same for the other protest they videod. Everyone was... reasonable.

Quoting an AI generated search result?! 4/10 for effort there 🤣

I've come across many leftwing GC feminists who are pro-Palestinian.

IMO it seems like many of the pro-Israel GC feminists are "Israel is a liberal, secular democracy, progressive wrt women" ergo "the goodies" / we support;

Whereas pro-Palestine leftwing GC feminists (in my experience) see it more as a "Israel is enforcing occupation and systemic inequality that massively harms Palestinian women and girls" plus wider issues of anticolonialism, anti-imperialism etc.

Different brands of feminism I suppose - a liberal / progressive 'left wing feminist' take as opposed to a radical / Marxist one. It would be interesting to dig deeper into the reasons someone is GC and see how it relates!

Erm...I'm a pro Palestine GC woman. I'd love to know more about this 'bizarre dichotomy state' I apparently exist in?!

There was an interview in the Guardian with some people who had been arrested for supporting Palestine Action who were asked why they did it.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/aug/16/im-proud-to-have-made-this-stand-over-60s-arrested-at-palestine-action-ban-protest-explain-their-decision

And it basically seems to boil down to 'I don't think they are terrorists, I'm pro-Palestine and it was a jolly day out that made me feel good.'

It's more effort than the PP deserved. I'm sure they're capable of googling such an obvious answer to their question

Look at the current discourse in the Corbyn/Sultana 'Your Party' where one of the 'Gaza MPs' is being roundly slated as a transphobe for suggesting that women have a right to their own toilets.

Same here. Pro-Palestine and gender critical. I have seen quite a few posts from pro-Israeli women claiming that the Palestinian cause and the trans activist cause are somehow aggregated and that GC aggregates with pro-Israel.

It is offensive nonsense. Gender critical thought doesn't map onto this touchstone issue, any more than it maps on to being right wing.

Ah you were the PP @Rednorth, I don't think you're in any position to lecture on effort 🤣

I would also like to know!

The left isn't some homogeneous bloc.

"GC & Pro Palestine people dont exist! "

I'm here saying yes I do, and there's actually quite a few of us. Sorry if that bursts some ideological bubble.

To be honest, I think we often see this from people who are attempting to create strife. It's a divisive topic, so people arguing in bad faith will attempt to use it as leverage to try and cause splits etc.

I wholly agree that it doesn't simply 'map onto' the issue. There are a huge variety of different views held by people/women who have 'gender critical views' on various issues. It's one of the reasons I enjoy the movement, too, because often you find people who are willing and able to disagree while still maintaining respectful discourse.

I find the force-teaming by a few MNers of GC and a pro-Israeli stance really objectionable. GC people aren't a hive mind. In fact, the key gender critical beliefs are so flipping basic that they are naturally shared by many right across the political spectrum.

I know that. I am 'GC' (ie a non-theist feminist with eyes and ears) and a FWR semi-regular since 2010 and I am pro-Israel. This thread doesn't belong in here because there is no discussion of feminism and women's rights and I don't see much evidence of the analogy being discussed here.

I've no agenda here. I think we should discuss what we want but I don't see any of the usual brilliant FWR sex-based analysis or rights discussions here. It's mostly the usual ME threads re-hashed ie 'This is a complex situation and there are nuances about how the Terrorist Act is being applied to PA' meeting with responses of 'SO YOU ARE SUPPORTING BABY MURDER AND GENOCIDE'. I think it belongs in the ME chat.

As a very old person I am glad that Starmer got off his arse and took a stand against those damaging aircraft by spraying paint into the engines.
During the debate I remember there was Intelligence about further attacks on military targets. Taking on the Government in that way cannot be allowed.
We are a democracy, it is upto Those who are pro Palestinian to organise a majority to support their views.
That's what a democracy is about. NOT having parliament intimidated by a mob.
It is not about Free Speech they can speak and publicise as much as they like.
Long live democracy.