Protesters allowed to march across Sydney Harbour Bridge
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Time Magazine
an hour ago
- Time Magazine
Why U.K. Police Plan to Arrest Anyone Showing Support for Palestine Action at Upcoming Protest
The Metropolitan Police have issued a stern warning to anyone planning on attending a Palestine Action protest in London this coming weekend, stating their intention to make mass arrests. This comes weeks after the British government proscribed the network as a terrorist group, with the decision fiercely contested by the group itself, as well as other organizations including Jewish Voice for Labour and Amnesty International. [time-brightcove not-tgx='true'] 'We are aware that the organizers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system,' the Metropolitan Police said in a statement to TIME. 'Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription. Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.' Here is everything you need to know about Palestine Action and the upcoming protest. What is Palestine Action? Palestine Action is a network which 'takes aim at the infrastructure that sustains the Israeli occupation,' claims co-founder Huda Ammori, who established the group in July 2020. Its activists mainly target arms manufacturers such as Elbit Systems, which earlier this year signed a contract with the Israeli government worth $275 million. 'We're very clear that our primary purpose is disruption… the point is not simply to 'raise awareness' or put pressure on politicians. We bypass politicians and go straight to the aggressors,' Ammori told The New Left Review in April. Palestine Action staged break-ins at Elbit sites across the U.K. last year in the city of Bristol, and at a factory in the county of Kent, where around £1 million ($1.33 million) worth of property was reportedly destroyed. Read More: In Europe, Free Speech Is Under Threat for Pro-Palestine Protesters What do we know about the upcoming Palestine Action protest? The protest, which urges the U.K. government to 'lift the ban' on Palestine Action, is scheduled to take place in London on August 9, organized by the group Defend Our Juries (DOJ). The group is asking for at least 500 people to commit to attending the protest, holding signs that read: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' 'We do not believe it will be practically or politically possible for the police to arrest 500 people for holding cardboard signs against the genocide,' DOJ said in its briefing document for the protest. More than 20 people were arrested on July 5 during a similar demonstration in central London, in which attendees held signs with the same statement. Ahead of the upcoming protest, DOJ wrote an open letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, saying: 'We would like to alert you to the fact [that] we may be committing offences under the Terrorism Act tomorrow, Saturday 5 July, in Parliament Square at about 1 p.m.' Some 300 prominent British Jewish figures have also signed a letter, calling on the British government to reverse its designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist group. 'We consider the proscription of Palestine Action as illegitimate and unethical,' the letter reads. 'The government should stop deflecting attention from genocide by linking non-violent protest to terrorism.' Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of genocide. 'Our defence forces target terrorists and never civilians. Hamas is responsible for the suffering in Gaza,' spokesperson David Mencer said, who strongly rejected the accusations of genocide made by two prominent Israeli human rights group on July 28. Israel is currently under investigation by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for charges of genocide, first brought forward by South Africa in December 2023 claiming 'acts and omissions' by Israel towards Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were issued arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November. They stand accused of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, which Israel has rejected. When and why did Palestine Action become a proscribed group in the U.K.? The group was proscribed as a terrorist group under the 2000 Terrorism Act by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. The decision came into effect on July 5, after members of the group broke into a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire on June 20, spray painting two Voyager jets and damaging them with crowbars. The British Government said that the group 'has orchestrated a nationwide campaign of direct criminal action against businesses and institutions' and that it 'prepares for, promotes, and encourages terrorism.' 'Proscription will enable law enforcement to effectively disrupt Palestine Action,' the government order read, meaning that support for the group is now deemed a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Palestine Action was proscribed alongside two groups described as 'white-supremacist' movements, the Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperial Movement. Amnesty International voiced its concern over the decision regarding Palestine Action, saying: 'The U.K. has a deeply flawed and overly broad definition of terrorism which human rights monitors including Amnesty International have been warning about for years. This latest disturbing move only serves to highlight that those warnings were justified.' United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk also issued a warning about the move, calling it 'disproportionate and unnecessary' and urging the British government to reverse its decision and review its counter-terrorism legislation. Read More: Former IDF Chiefs Call on Israel to End War in Gaza as Netanyahu Claims Starvation Is 'Hamas Libel' Are Palestine Action appealing the decision? Palestine Action filed an appeal to temporarily block the move, which was rejected by a High Court judge. The ruling was then challenged by the group at the Court of Appeals, but this was also rejected, bringing the ban into effect. On July 30, the same High Court judge who originally blocked the appeal, Justice Chamberlain, then approved Palestine Action co-founder Ammori to legally challenge the government proscription. 'I consider it reasonably arguable that the proscription order amounts to a disproportionate interference with the article 10 and article 11 (European convention of human rights) rights (freedom of expression and assembly, respectively) of the claimant and others,' Chamberlain said.
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Oireachtas Committee recommends government take action to stop the approval of Israeli bonds
THE GOVERNMENT HAS been urged by TDs and Senators to engage with the EU to amend the law so the Irish Central Bank can refuse to facilitate the sale of Israeli State bonds. The Oireachtas Finance Committee, whose membership includes government TDs and senators, published a review today on Israeli bonds , which included recommendations for both the Irish government and the Central Bank. Commenting on the publication of the review, committee chair Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell said: 'The Committee is united in the position that the Central Bank of Ireland should desist insofar as is possible from the facilitation of Israeli bonds.' In recent months, the government and the Central Bank have been under mounting pressure to stop facilitating the sale of Israeli State bonds in the EU. Advertisement Under EU law, government bonds from countries outside of the EU must have their prospectus ( a legal document setting out the details of the bond) approved by the Central Bank of a country that is in the EU. In Israel's case, Ireland's Central Bank is the authority that approves the document that allows for their sale. Pro-Palestine activists in Ireland, alongside most opposition parties in the Dáil, have been pushing for the Irish Central Bank to stop facilitating the sale of Israeli State bonds because of the fact they are used to fund Israel's military operations in Gaza. Explainer: Why are pro-Palestine groups calling for Ireland to prevent the sale of Israeli 'war bonds'? The Oireachtas Finance Committee sought to find out if there is a legal avenue open to the Central Bank to refuse the approval of a prospectus. The committee made 15 recommendations following its investigation. It recommended that ahead of the Israeli bond prospectus's renewal next month that the Irish Central Bank conduct an internal review to check that the application complies with existing requirements in relation to the level of disclosure, accuracy and transparency. Related Reads Gary Gannon launches legal action against Central Bank over approval of Israeli bonds Government rejects motion calling on it to stop sale of 'Israeli war bonds' Other recommendations were: That the government engage at EU level to amend the EU Prospectus regulations to permit individual Central Banks to refuse to act as a Competent Authority. That the Irish Central Bank engage with other central banks to develop a mechanism that would allow them to refuse to process any new prospectus certification requests. That the government considers what it can do on a national level to ensure that the approval of any prospectuses complies with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) opinion in July 2024. Chair Mairéad Farrell said that as part of its review, the Central Bank should seek further information from the Israeli authorities. 'This should take into account the nature of the case taken by South Africa against Israel under the Genocide Convention and the interim findings of the ICJ in that regard, the ICJ Advisory Opinion of July 2024 in respect of the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and any other pertinent matters in respect of international law,' she said. Farrell added that the committee believes an amendment to the Prospectus Regulation to allow individual European Central Banks to refuse to act as Competent Authority is required in order to allow individual Member States to make decisions which align with their stated position and obligations under international law. 'The Committee further believes that the Central Bank is vested with powers that it has not yet exercised and makes a number of recommendations identifying areas which may provide the Central Bank with the opportunity to desist from facilitation of the prospectus. The Joint Committee encourages the Central Bank to exercise the powers available to it in this regard,' she said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Courier-Mail
a day ago
- Courier-Mail
Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Penrith Panthers players Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago attended the Pro-Palestine march in Sydney on Sunday, a day after playing in an NRL victory. Tens of thousands of protesters marched across Sydney's Harbour Bridge in a massive demonstration that far exceeded the expected turn-out. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. About 90,000 people, including famous faces, braved the rain and descended on the iconic landmark with placards and flags in hand to call for an end to the war in Gaza after the Supreme Court rejected a last-minute application to block the protest on Saturday. Panthers hooker Kenny and centre Tago both played in Penrith's 30-26 win over the Gold Coast Titans at CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday. Get all the latest Australian news as it happens — download the app direct to your phone. Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X. Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X. The premiership-winning duo spent their Sunday at the rally in Sydney, organised by the Palestine Action Group, which was largely well-behaved despite police intervention over fears of a crowd rush. Tago and Kenny were spotted in the thick of things in the march and were happy to pose for photos with fans and give them a wave. Kenny wore a shirt that read 'Free Palestine', while Tago held a Palestine flag and wore a Palestine scarf around his head. As the march made its way across the city, Tago was spotted climbing part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's steel structure. The Panthers declined to comment when contacted by Izack Tago (left) climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied. Tago (above) climbed up the Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied. The march was endorsed by hundreds of organisations and individuals, most notably: Amnesty International Australia, NSW Greens, Jewish Council of Australia, Arab Council Australia, Julian Assange, Bob Carr, Craig Foster and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. In Sydney, thousands of protesters started crossing the bridge about 2pm on Sunday, chanting 'free, free Palestine' and waving placards. Some could also be heard chanting 'death, death to the IDF', a reference to the Israeli Defence Force. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore lent her support to the protesters saying: 'Discomfort from traffic can't be compared to what's happening in Gaza'. Jewish Council of Australia Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz backed the protest saying the marchers were 'crying out for moral leadership'. 'It is a time for all of us, including those in positions of power, to do everything they can to halt an active genocide and stand with the people of Gaza.' Pro Palestine protesters march towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw 'Almost catastrophic': Fears of crowd crush At about 3pm, NSW Police issued an urgent request for protesters to stop marching on safety fears, citing a possible 'crush' at the northern end of the bridge. 'Participants have been asked to stop proceeding across the bridge to avoid a crowd crush at the northern end of the harbour bridge,' the police said in what they called a 'protest safety intervention'. 'Once the procession has come to a halt, protesters will be asked to turn around and walk back toward Wynyard to avoid a risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part. 'Police believe the safest route back is to walk back across the bridge given the huge numbers to avoid overwhelming the public transport system and a potential crowd crush scenario.' The crowd started dispersing from the bridge about 3.30pm and traffic started crossing the bridge about 4.30pm. People, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Craig Foster, march across the Harbour Bridge during a pro-Palestinian rally. (Photo by Lisa) Penrith cop mega punishment for trainer act Penrith's win over the Titans kept their dream of winning a fifth consecutive NRL premiership alive, with the victory putting them just one point behind the fourth placed Warriors on the ladder. The Panthers were fined $50,000 and trainer Corey Bocking banned for five matches after he interfered with a Titans conversion attempt on the weekend. The NRL confirmed the stunning penalty on Monday which came as a result of 'previous breaches by Penrith Panthers trainers'. Bocking who ran directly across the path of Titans kicker Jayden Campbell, who was attempting a conversion in last weekend' match. Campbell had to furiously compose himself and ultimately missed the conversion before Nathan Cleary sent the game into extra time with a long-range field goal. The Panthers won the match thanks to a Blaize Talagi golden point try which cost the Titans two crucial points in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon. Originally published as Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
