People taking part in a Palestine Action rally in Britain will be charged with terrorism offences, police say. It does not apply to general protests in support of Palestinians. An aerial view of the destruction in Gaza after the ceasefire agreement came into effect in the Gaza Strip on January 21. Photo / Getty Images
People taking part in a Palestine Action rally in Britain will be charged with terrorism offences, police say. It does not apply to general protests in support of Palestinians. An aerial view of the destruction in Gaza after the ceasefire agreement came into effect in the Gaza Strip on January 21. Photo / Getty Images
Campaigners who take part in this weekend’s Palestine Action rally in Britain can expect to be charged with terrorism offences, Scotland Yard has warned.
More than 500 people are planning to gather in central London on Saturday local time to publicly declare support for the group, which was outlawed followingan alleged attack on aircraft at RAF Brize Norton last month.
The Met Police issued a stark warning to organisers by announcing it was charging three supporters of the group under the Terrorism Act, the first to face such charges.
Senior officers warned anyone thinking about taking part to consider the long-term consequences of their actions.
Lawyers said that just being arrested for a terror offence, even if the person is later cleared, could stop them travelling to the United States or working in education.
That changed on Thursday when Scotland Yard announced that three people who attended a demonstration on July 5 had been charged under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The three are Jeremy Shippam, 71, from West Sussex, Judit Murray, 71, from Surrey and Fiona Maclean, 53, from Hackney.
They are due to appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on September 16.
‘Anyone who displays public support’
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter-Terrorism Command, sent a clear warning to anyone else considering joining the weekend’s rally.
He said: “Anyone who displays public support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, is committing an offence under the Terrorism Act and can expect to be arrested and, as these charges show, will be investigated to the full extent of the law.
“These charges relate to three people arrested in central London on July 5. We are also planning to send case files to the Crown Prosecution Service for the other 26 people arrested on the same day.
“I would strongly advise anyone planning to come to London this weekend to show support for Palestine Action to think about the potential criminal consequences of their actions.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in the House of Commons. Photo / UK Parliament, AFP
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan has also warned people considering joining the protest of the impact it could have on their lives.
He said: “I would urge those people to consider the seriousness of being arrested under the Terrorism Act and the very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances – that such an arrest is likely to have for their future.”
Lord Carlile, the former government reviewer of terrorism legislation, said an arrest and conviction would have far-reaching consequences.
He said: “Any job of significance in the public sector would require disclosure of convictions and a terrorism conviction – no matter how low level – is going to have serious implications for your career.
“Any conviction for a terrorism offence can damage people’s lives because there are certain activities for which you have to disclose offences.
“For example, nobody with such a conviction will be allowed to enter the US for a holiday. That can also be the case with other countries.
“Nobody with such a conviction could join the police or the military or possibly teach in a school or university. They would have to disclose the conviction.”
Mark Jones, a partner at Payne Hicks Beach, the law firm, said just being arrested could have far-reaching implications.
He said: “An arrest can be disclosed as part of an enhanced DBS check even if there is no further action taken in the case.
“Also, if you are trying to travel to the US, you are obliged to declare all arrests as well as cautions and convictions. So it is highly unlikely if you have been arrested on suspicion of a terrorist offence that you will be granted a visa.
“All of these things need to be thought about carefully because they can have a significant and life-changing impact on your reputation, employment and travel prospects.”
Vicki Evans, the senior national co-ordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter-Terrorism Policing, said proscription “does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause”.
She added: “At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action. This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause.
“Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London.”
