‘Right to protest genocide’ denied: Scotland’s Palestine Action supporters

Glasgow, Scotland – A year ago, 70-year-old Cathy Allen raised a placard that read, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, in Edinburgh.

The July 19 protest was the first Scottish action organised by Defend Our Juries, a group leading a civil disobedience campaign against the proscription of Palestine Action.

Allen was taken into custody a few days later, making her one of the first in Scotland to be arrested for supporting what the British government considers a terrorist group.

“We’ve watched what’s happening in Palestine, in Gaza, and been horrified,” she told Al Jazeera. “If our government is attempting to take away our right to protest genocide, that seems to me an obvious step too far. It’s really important to take a stand.”

Allen and fellow sign-holder Justin Kenrick are set to argue before Scotland’s High Court that their arrests are not compatible with the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. They believe that a positive result would set a precedent for future cases in Scotland and have a knock-on effect for England and Wales.

Figures obtained by investigative outlet The Detail show 103 reports of terrorism charges associated with Palestine Action, more than half of all 193 terrorism charges lodged in Scotland since the Terrorism Act was introduced in 2000.

Although the figures did not reveal the outcomes of the cases, Catherine Smith KC, the advocate general for Scotland, has stated that there are currently 54 live prosecutions relating to Palestine Action.

Defend Our Juries say 24 people are facing charges for holding signs like Allen’s, while an additional 16 people face similar charges for wearing T-shirts reading, “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take Action.”