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The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Palestine Action's future plans are disturbing, Yvette Cooper claims as she urges protesters to stay away
Yvette Cooper has said she has seen some 'disturbing information' relating to the future plans of proscribed terror group Palestine Action, urging people not to protest in support of the organisation. Speaking ahead of a major demonstration to protest the decision to ban the group, the home secretary warned the public that 'this is not a non-violent organisation', adding that more information about the group is likely to be revealed in future court cases. It comes after Downing Street on Monday warned: 'Those who seek to support this group may yet not know the true nature of this organisation'. The move to ban Palestine Action came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident it subsequently claimed, which police said caused about £7 million worth of damage. Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday, Ms Cooper said: 'The proscribing process is based on detailed security assessments and security advice to me as home secretary, and I have to take that immensely seriously. 'It's based on violent action and injuries that this group has taken, including on national security targets, but also injuries to people, and also some disturbing information referring to future planning as well. 'So that's the information that I have to take immensely seriously when making those proscribing decisions.' Speaking ahead of a planned mass protest in support of the group taking place on Saturday, Ms Cooper said: 'I do understand there will be people who do not know, who are wanting to protest, what the nature of this group is. 'Let's be clear: this is not about Palestine or protesting about Palestine. This is about a particular, narrow, specific group that has both a violent record and information and about future planning as well. 'More of that information is likely to be really revealed once court cases come through, and can't be in advance. But I would say to people, this is not a non violent organisation.' The Metropolitan Police and other forces nationwide have warned anyone found to be expressing support for Palestine Action will be arrested, following the government's decision to ban the organisation last month. Defend Our Juries said it planned to bring together at least 500 people for its planned demonstration against the ban on Saturday with organisers 'very confident' they have recruited enough participants, a spokesperson for the campaign group said. But they have denied that its planned mass protest will try to overwhelm the police and justice system. A High Court ruling on Wednesday decided that Palestine Action's co-founder Huda Ammori had several 'reasonably arguable' beliefs in her challenge over the group's ban that would be heard at a three-day hearing in November, but a bid to pause the ban temporarily was refused. The ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. More than 200 people were arrested at a wave of protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month, as part of the campaign co-ordinated by Defend Our Juries. Many of the protesters were detained after writing and holding up the message 'I oppose genocide I support Palestine Action' on placards or pieces of cardboard.
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Russia accuses UK of plotting 'false flag' to sink its ships
Russia is feared to be preparing false flag attacks on its shadow fleet of sea vessels in order to deter the West from further sanctioning them. According to reports from the SVR, Moscow's foreign intelligence service, is said to have claimed that the UK was plotting to attack the country's fleet of ships used to subvert sanctions. The SVR said that the attacks would be designed to look like accidents, causing significant environmental damage and allowing Britain and the rest of NATO to justify further actions against them. The Telegraph reported it claimed: 'British intelligence services are planning to use NATO allies to launch a mass raid on the "shadow fleet"; for this purpose, an ecological catastrophe in international waters is being prepared.' But experts said the report's publication raised concerns that Russia is preparing its own false flag operation, a scheme carried out by the Kremlin but designed to look like it has British origins. Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at RUSI, told the newspaper: 'One interpretation might be that the Russians are insuring themselves against something breaking down or sinking, in a way that creates a pretext for restricting [their movement across the ocean].' So far at least six tankers have suffered mysterious explosions since the start of the year. The suspicion has largely fallen on Ukraine, as all of the tankers were docked in Russian ports. Some of them were carrying Russian oil. It comes after the National Crime Agency (NCA) warned UK financial firms that Russian oil trading companies are utilising a complex network of companies with deliberately obscure ownership structures in order to evade sanctions. Britain has banned the maritime transportation of Russian oil as its energy exports are funding the war in Ukraine. In 2024, 30 per cent of Russia's federal budget came from oil and gas sales. But Russian oil trading companies are managing to circumvent sanctions to get Western cash which is continuing to fund the Russian state, investigators believe. One of the companies sanctioned last year used over 100 Shadow Fleet oil tankers, vessels which are usually over 15 years old which secretly carry Russian oil. To avoid detection, flags are regularly changed and the ship's automatic identification system is turned off to avoid its movements being tracked, while the oil is often transferred from one ship to another to obscure its origin before the shipment reaches its destination. Over 400 Shadow Fleet vessels have so far been sanctioned by the UK, EU, US and Canada. An NCA spokesman said: 'Today, the National Crime Agency has issued an alert to financial institutions and other members of the UK regulated sector in relation to the sale of Russian oil and gas through the use of Shadow Fleet vessels and front companies.' 'Sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine have had a significant impact on its ability to sell oil and gas it produces. However, in an effort to circumvent these controls, Russian oil trading companies are utilising a complex network of companies with deliberately obscure ownership structures to evade sanctions whilst accessing Western finance and professional services in order to continue to fund the Russian state.'
BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Repair Shop's Jay Blades charged with two counts of rape
TV presenter Jay Blades has been charged with two counts of Blades, best known for hosting BBC show The Repair Shop, will appear in court next Wednesday over the allegations, police said.A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape."He is due to appear at Telford magistrates' court on 13 August 2025." Mr Blades became one of the best-known faces on British TV after The Repair Shop launched in 2017, with members of the public bringing their treasured possessions and heirlooms to be began in a daytime slot and then moved to primetime after it became a show won a National Television Award in 2023, and also won a Bafta the same year for its royal special, in which the future King took a clock and a vase to the has also hosted Money for Nothing, Jay Blades' Home Fix and Jay and Dom's Home Fix, and in 2022 he fronted a documentary about learning to read at the age of was honoured with an MBE in Blades stepped back from presenting The Repair Shop last year.
