UK police arrest founder of Palestine Action, other activists

The co-founder of the activist group Palestine Action was arrested on Thursday by UK police on three charges, including one related to terrorism.

Forty-one-year-old Richard Barnard will appear before a magistrates' court on September 18 to face charges including "expressing an opinion that is supportive of a proscribed organisation contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000".

He also has been charged with "encouraging or intending to encourage criminal damage" according to The Times.

The charges relate to a protest that was held on October 8 last year, one day after the surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel which sparked the current Gaza war, and another protest in Bradford on October 11.

On the same day, UK counter-terrorism police raided the homes of other Palestine Action activists, who had previously been arrested after breaking into an Israeli-owned weapons research facility in Filton, Bristol.

Six activists were arrested during the action on 6 August, with a further four rounded up afterwards in connection to it.

Palestine Action has focused on protesting outside sites owned by Elbit Systems, an Israel-based weapons manufacturer.

In a statement, the group said, "The state is harassing Palestine Action, in a bid to protect Israel’s weapons trade. We will not be intimidated into allowing a genocide to happen."

Police also reportedly arrested another pro-Palestine campaigner, Sarah Wilkinson, at her home on Thursday.

Her son Jack said twelve police officers raided the house at 7:30 am, saying she was being arrested for "content that she has posted online."

The New Arab contacted the Metropolitan Police for more information but they refused to confirm or deny the arrest.

Wilkinson has been an outspoken advocate of the Palestinian cause on social media, working for the MENA Uncensored news organisation. There were reports that she was released later.

Other journalists and activists have claimed to have been arrested recently for their Palestine advocacy.

Richard Medhurst, a journalist who has also adopted a pro-Palestine line, said earlier this month that he had been arrested at London's Heathrow Airport under the Terrorism Act.