Veteran peace activist arrested after decision to ban Palestine Action is backed by Court of Appeal
Martin Shipton
Veteran Mid Wales peace and human rights campaigner Angie Zelter was among 117 pro-Palestine activists arrested on the steps of London’s Royal Courts of Justice for holding a sign saying: “Saving Lives is not Terrorism. I Support Palestine Action.”
She was later charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act.
Ms Zelter was the first person detained during a demonstration against the Court of Appeal decision to endorse former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the Palestine Action group as a terrorist organisation.
Previously the High Court had ruled that Palestine Action, best known for taking direct action against the Israeli company Elbit Systems, whose drones have been used against Palestinian targets in Gaza, was not a terrorist group and should not be in the same category as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
The protest was organised as part of an ongoing campaign against the UK Government’s controversial use of counter-terrorism laws against peaceful demonstrators. Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 makes it an offence to display an article or sign that arouses reasonable suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation. It carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and/or a fine upon conviction.
Angie Zelter, a well-known resident of Knucklas, Powys, is a globally recognized figure in non-violent direct action. She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, she founded groups like Trident Ploughshares, and has spent decades advocating for international law and human rights.
After her release from custody she said: “I think it’s a terrible indictment of the criminal justice system that you are charging me with terrorism for holding a peaceful sign. We have to uphold the most important international laws. Peaceful, disruptive protest is absolutely essential to protect democracy.”
Ms Zelter, who lives in Knucklas, Powys, has been arrested more than 100 times worldwide for her involvement in peace and environmental justice campaigns.
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What a shocking inditement of our legal system. Its one thing jailing people for damaging property, but peaceful protesters too? Clearly can’t upset Israeli government who continue to rampage and kill civilians in neighbouring States against all international rules
Maybe she could go to Gaza and protest against Hamas, or Afghanistan against the Taliban? Very very easy to sit on a UK pavement while also being protected by intimidating masked people (which also adds a nice fascist tone).
Utterly disgusting decision by the Court of Appeal, which will hopefully now be taken to the Supreme Court and if necessary to the European Court of Human Rights. This awful, dangerous 2000 law was brought in as a knee-jerk reaction by New Labour’s then Home Secretary Jack Straw, and at the time was widely criticised due to the lack of safeguards attached to it, allowing any Home Secretary at whim to deem any organiation of their choosing as ‘terrorist’. No Parliamentary checks and balances whatsoever. When the law was passed it didn’t escape Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg that they could,… Read more »