Palestine Action protests in NI conclude without police intervention

By David Young, PA

Police in Northern Ireland did not intervene at protests in support for Palestine Action while dozens of arrests were being made at a similar demonstration in London.

Defend Our Juries said no one was arrested at the events it organised in Belfast and Londonderry on Saturday afternoon which saw activists display placards stating support for the proscribed organisation.

Dozens of activists displaying the same phrase – “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” – were arrested at another Defend Our Juries demonstration in Tavistock Square Gardens in central London.

It shows that this whole thing of arresting people is completely arbitrary

The Metropolitan Police said at least 90 people had been detained.

The protests came ahead of next week’s legal challenge against the Government move to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.

In Belfast, a crowd of about 60-80 activists and supporters gathered on a pedestrianised area close to the city’s main court buildings at 1pm, with between 15-20 of them holding placards carrying the statement: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”

Four Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers maintained a low-key presence as they observed the hour-long demonstration from a short distance away. The officers did not intervene during the event and the crowd dispersed shortly after 2pm.

Similar scenes unfolded later in the afternoon outside the Guildhall in Derry.

One of the activists who held a placard in Belfast, Rosemary Jenkinson from the city, addressed the crowd at the conclusion of the demonstration.

She noted how no arrests had been made in Belfast while people had been detained in London.

“It shows that this whole thing of arresting people is completely arbitrary,” she said.

““This country (Northern Ireland) isn’t doing it because they realise it’s utterly ridiculous. The judicial review (against the proscription of Palestine Action) is happening this week, so we’re going to follow that, we know we have a very good chance of overturning it and we will keep on being activists and fighting until we get there.”

Amnesty International’s programme director in Northern Ireland, Patrick Corrigan, was at the Belfast protest in an observational capacity.

He described the legal proscription of Palestine Action as “absurd”.

“I think it’s notable that on this occasion today in Belfast, the PSNI are taking a very low-key approach, are not intervening and, at least to date, do not appear to have any intention of making arrests,” he said.

“That’s a marked contrast to what we’ve seen elsewhere, particularly in London and some other cities where there have been mass arrests. Over 2,100 people have now been arrested as part of this mass act of civil disobedience since July, pointing up the degree of public disquiet at this proscription and the wider disquiet at the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

Veteran civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann attended the protest in Derry.

“In 1968, civil rights activists were charged under the Special Powers Act which denied us a jury trial,” he said.

“We veterans are horrified that we have to come out again to demonstrate for civil rights. We are delighted that two generations on, so many young people are joining us on the same streets to stand up for Palestine and for Palestine Action.”

The PSNI was approached for comment.