The Palestine coalition welcomes the ruling of the Court of Appeal that legislation granting the police enhanced powers to restrict protests was introduced unlawfully by the former Home Secretary Suella Braverman. This decision, in a case brought by human rights organisation Liberty, confirms the judgement of the High Court from May 2024 that Braverman acted outside the law when she empowered the police to impose restrictions on any protest liable to cause ‘more than minor’ disruption.
This is an important victory for all who believe in the democratic rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Since October 2023, the Metropolitan Police has routinely used these repressive powers to impose unprecedented restrictions on protests for Palestinian rights, to curtail the duration, routes and location of marches, and to enforce effective exclusion zones around sites of legitimate protest, namely the Israeli Embassy and the headquarters of the BBC.
Outrageously, dozens of people are currently facing charges for violating restrictions imposed on demonstrations while these unlawful regulations were in use – in many cases, for nothing more than standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. This includes PSC Director Ben Jamal and vice-chair of Stop the War Chris Nineham and others arrested on 18 January. All charges arising from alleged breaches of conditions imposed on the basis of these regulations should now be dropped.
For eighteen months we have marched to call for a ceasefire, an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, an end to British arms sales to Israel and justice for the Palestinian people. For eighteen months we have faced extraordinary attempts to suppress the movement for Palestinian rights including by the police making use of powers that have now been found to be unlawful. We will not be silenced.
Join us in London on 17 May when we march again to demand – end the genocide, free Palestine! Assemble 12 noon, Embankment Tube.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Palestinian Forum in Britain
Friends of Al-Aqsa
Stop the War Coalition
Muslim Association of Britain
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament