Week of protests over Palestine Action ban will begin at Labour conference

"The plans were announced by Defend Our Juries on Friday, a week after 857 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act at a demonstration outside parliament opposing proscription. It said the next phase of the protests represented a major escalation that would create an unprecedented challenge for the police, with 1,100 people already registered to take part and risk arrest."

"There should be no confusion about where the blame lies: it sits squarely with the government for pursuing this authoritarian ban, plunging an overstretched police force and court and prison systems which are already in crisis, into further chaos, a spokesperson said. The power lies with the new home secretary to end this farce by listening to MPs, lords, UN experts, legal professionals, human rights advocates and the majority of her own party's members and lift this dangerous, anti-democratic ban."

"They accused the prime minister, Keir Starmer, of grotesque double standards for meeting the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, this week, while people had been arrested for holding cardboard signs in support of Palestine Action. They said it made people even more determined to do whatever it takes to overturn this unjust ban, including by targeting Starmer's upcoming conference. Protests at the party conference, which begins on 28 September, will be an unwelcome distraction for the prime minister."

Defend Our Juries announced a week of mass actions protesting the ban on Palestine Action, starting at the Labour party conference in Liverpool and culminating in a national mobilisation in Parliament Square on 4 October. The announcement followed mass arrests, with 857 people detained under the Terrorism Act at an anti-proscription demonstration; organisers say 1,100 people have already registered to risk arrest. The group called the ban authoritarian and blamed the government for worsening strain on police, courts and prisons. The campaign accused the prime minister of double standards for meeting Israel's president while protesters were arrested, and urged supporters to display signs reading I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.

Read at www.theguardian.com