Police exploit terrorism legislation against direct action in wake of Palestine Action ban

_Edinburgh _– Activists from Scottish direct action group, Shut Down Leonardo Edinburgh, are believed to be the first to be arrested and charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 for direct action against arms manufacturers complicit in the Gaza genocide, following the proscription of Palestine Action. 

The three women were arrested in connection with a protest against arms manufacturer Leonardo after a van was driven into a fence surrounding its factory in an attempt to disrupt the genocide’s supply lines. They were later charged under Section 57 of the Terrorism Act and with malicious mischief.  

The Shut Down Leonardo Campaign has drawn attention to Leonardo’s production of laser targeting technology used by the Israeli military in its murder of Palestinian people.

The arrest and charges under terrorism powers confirmed the fears of civil society regarding the civil liberties implications of the proscription of Palestine Action. 

This comes despite High Court Judge, Mr Justice Chamberlain, stating during Palestine Action’s interim relief application:

“It will remain lawful for the claimant and other persons who were members of Palestine Action prior to proscription to continue to express their opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza and elsewhere...”

“They will remain legally entitled to do so in private conversations, in print, on social media and at protests. Even if their protests take the form of direct action which involves criminality, the fact that they were previously members of an organisation which is now proscribed would not as a matter of law aggravate their criminal conduct.”

CAGE International’s Head of Campaigns, Naila Ahmed, said:

“The judgement set down by Justice Chamberlain making clear that direct action should not be seen as terrorism, is not being upheld in practice. Activists are being treated as terrorists. We have repeatedly raised issue with the draconian infrastructure  of terrorism laws in the UK and its undermining of basic civil liberties, including the right to protest and freedom of expression. The proscription of Palestine Action is being used, as expected, to cast a wide net to round up and silence those who oppose the UK’s complicity in Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.”