Majid Freeman remains composed in the dock as he defends Palestinian's 'right to resist'

Birmingham — Over two days of evidence, Majid Freeman testified about his social media activity post by post with the calm certainty of a man who has never doubted the righteousness of what he was doing. He explained calmly and at length a timeline of social media posts, ones that devoted significant court time to interrogating the meaning of emojis, Islamic supplications, and expressions of support for the Palestinian resistance.

Among the items placed under legal scrutiny were a red triangle, a pair of prayer hands, a ninja emoji, the Palestinian flag, and a flame. Alongside these, Majid explained a series of Islamic supplications that were highlighted by the prosecution, including "may Allah grant victory to the resistance," "may Allah accept his shahadah," and "may Allah bless them and be with them." 

When asked why he had written "long live the resistance in all its forms," he told the court: "The journalists, the teachers, the mother and father who are going out there trying to get food for the children - knowing that they could be killed - they are part of the resistance. Not only that. I believe the resistance extends further than just those in Gaza, but also in the UK and all around the world. Those who are attending demonstrations, those who are trying to shut down factories - I believe they are part of the resistance." When asked whether he was referring to any particular organisation, he said he was not.

The court also heard about Majid's explicit advice to fellow activists to utilise the word “resistance” instead of "jihad," not because he believed the concept to be wrong, but because decades of sustained media propaganda had so distorted its meaning that it would prevent people from hearing the message he was trying to convey. His stated aim was a patient, long-term process of education, empowering people to understand the Palestinian cause, to think for themselves, and to find their own place within a broad and diverse movement of solidarity. The prosecution has chosen to present that too as evidence of terrorism.

The logic of this prosecution, in which any expression of solidarity with Palestinians, any prayer for the resistance, any emoji posted in response to genocide, becomes potential evidence of support for a proscribed organisation, is the same logic that CAGE's own deproscription application to the Home Secretary has sought to challenge. It is a legal architecture designed not to distinguish between solidarity and terrorism, but to make that distinction impossible. The effect, intended or otherwise, is to deter an entire population from speaking, praying, or posting about Palestine at all.

Anas Mustapha, Head of Public Advocacy at CAGE International, said:

"Today the court heard from Majid Freeman directly, and what they heard was a man of extraordinary clarity and courage who did not come to explain himself or to apologise, but to tell the truth. He documented a genocide. He amplified the voices of people being systematically erased. He supported their right to resist occupation in all forms, and he said so plainly, to a jury, without hesitation. That is the behaviour of someone who knows with complete certainty that his conscience is clear."

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