Threats against Defend Our Juries’ protest reveal state’s disconnect with public outrage over genocide

London – The ongoing attempts by the state to disrupt the anti-genocide movement have escalated this week, targeting the planned protest by Defend Our Juries on Saturday, 9 August. These actions highlight a growing sense of panic within the Government, now manifesting in repressive crackdowns on peaceful activity.

Over the past week, Defend Our Juries has been subjected to various disruption tactics by Whitehall, involving the Home Office, Metropolitan Police, and Ministry of Justice. This has included the shutdown of its website and the removal of its public online briefing following a Police request to Zoom, the video conferencing platform. Reports have also emerged that the Ministry of Justice is preparing prison spaces ahead of a weekend of action for Palestine.

These grave violations of individual and civil liberties are more characteristic of repressive police states, yet they are now unfolding in Britain. As documented by CAGE International over the last two decades, years of policymaking under the guise of counter-terrorism have created one of the most authoritarian legal infrastructures in the country’s modern history—targeting our collective freedoms. Today, we see the emergence of a sophisticated police state, lashing out in panic as it remains disconnected from public opinion on its role in years of “forever wars” abroad and its unabashed support for genocide in Gaza.

CAGE International urges members of the public to contact our helpline if they experience police repression for expressing opposition to the genocide in Gaza.

Our helpline number is: 0300 030 2243