Two UK pro-Palestine organisations have bank accounts frozen
Greater Manchester Friends for Palestine (GMFP) and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which both organise peaceful protests and vigils, have had access to their funds cut off indefinitely by Virgin Money and Unit Trust bank respectively. The Guardian understands a local PSC branch in England has also had its bank account frozen but was unable to confirm it directly.
Coming amid the banning of Palestine Action earlier this month and the arrest of more than 100 people for showing support for the group, and the threatened arrest of a peaceful protester for having a Palestine flag and 'Free Gaza' sign, it has amplified concerns about a crackdown on critics of Israel.
Owen Cooper, co-treasurer of GMFP, said the group, which lists bike-riding among its activities, has been marching peacefully for more than a year and a half without incident or criminal activity but Virgin Money refused to say why its account had been frozen.
'If it's purely the fact that we have Palestine on the bank account name, I think it's a very worrying sign,' said Cooper. 'It would be not only hugely worrying but hugely disappointing to think that a country that values freedom of speech, that is a liberal democracy can be acting like this and that ordinary, decent people with a conscience are being regarded as extremists.
'What could the bank be thinking that we've done? Certainly nothing that the police believe is a crime.'
He said the freeze meant that GMFP could not send money to Gaza and the West Bank to help those in need. 'They're actually preventing aid and support going into Gaza, and it's going in for food and medical supplies,' said Cooper. 'We don't have access to F-35 jets or 500lb bombs that we're funding.'
Unity Trust bank says its aim is to be 'the bank of choice for all socially minded organisations in the UK', including charities and trades unions.
But Mick Napier, from Scottish PSC's finance committee, said it had acted disgracefully. He said Scottish PSC was told the reason for its account being frozen last month was that it had a button on its website to donate to Palestine Action before the group was banned on 5 July. But the button was removed when Palestine Action was proscribed and yet the account had not been restored, said Napier.
'It's shocking,' he said. 'It's absolutely disgraceful that a campaign like ours [has been treated like this]. We've been operating for 25 years. Palestine Action we supported until they were proscribed. It came out the blue [the freezing of the account], and we were very disappointed. We think it's very bad practice.
'We can't get into our cash at all. We've had to use other means, very inconvenient means to pay bills and generally operate, it's been extremely burdensome.'
The Guardian asked both banks for the reasons for the accounts being frozen and if there had been any external influence. Both said they were unable to comment on individual customer accounts.
A Virgin Money spokesperson added that there were 'a variety of reasons why we may decide, or be required, to suspend or close an account in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations'.
A Unity Trust bank spokesperson said it was 'a politically neutral organisation. Our mission and values underpin our commitment to operating with integrity'.
They added: 'Unity has a diverse customer base that represents a broad range of communities.'
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