OVER 1,000 protesters demonstrated in Trafalgar Square yesterday as Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that she intends to ‘proscribe’ protest group Palestine Action next week.
The demonstrators met at Trafalgar Square because police banned them from protesting outside Parliament after Scotland Yard enforced an exclusion zone across much of Westminster.
As the demonstration was assembling protesters waved Palestinian flags and carried placards, chanting: ‘We will not be silenced.’
News Line spoke to some of the protesters.
John, aged 17, told News Line: ‘I’m here to support Palestine Action and demonstrate against it being proscribed. It’s a move against democracy as a whole.
‘The worst thing they can do is make the movement disappear and the other worst thing is to not do something about it. I agree with a general strike. It’s a very good idea.’
Maria Grallastegui, from peacestrike.org, said: ‘I’m here with Peace Strike and to support Palestine Action. I feel they are not terrorising people, they are trying to stop the terror.
‘It’s very difficult to get the news out beyond what the mass media is saying. The tragedy is people are dying in Gaza and the UK government is ignoring us.’
A march began around Trafalgar Square with everyone chanting ‘We are all Palestine Action!’ and ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!’
Somebody from Palestine Action addressed the rally, saying: ‘The state wants people to believe that Palestine Action is just a few people, but we are all Palestine Action.’
The police then issued a dispersal order and warned that anyone who stayed after 3pm would be liable to arrest.
Cooper announced yesterday that she will lay the draft order before Parliament next week. If passed, the ban would make it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
She said in a written statement: ‘This decision is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East.’
Palestine Action described Cooper’s decision to ban them ‘unhinged’.
The ban effectively brands the group a terrorist organisation and, if passed in Parliament, would make membership of and support of the group illegal.
Palestine Action said: ‘Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets.
‘When our government fails to uphold their moral and legal obligations, it is the responsibility of ordinary citizens to take direct action.’
Labour peer and former head of Liberty Baroness Shami Chakrabarti said Cooper’s proscription of the group was a ‘step too far.’
