Liverpool activist and organiser Audrey White has spoken out about her ‘kafkaesque’ arrest last month under the Terrorism Act for protesting against Israel’s genocide and the Starmer regime’s ban on protest group Palestine Action, which Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper have classified as a terrorist group at the behest of pro-Israel lobby groups, making it. She has asked readers to share it widely:
Please could you share this ?
Just an explanation and a thank you,
I’d like to sincerely thank everyone who has sent messages of support and solidarity. Many have posted on here, on X , messenger, WhatsApp or through Merseyside Pensioners email etc. I want to say that not one of us, across the country should have been arrested for holding a piece of paper. Certainly not Billie, Alan, me nor my brother, Mark two weeks ago in Liverpool. We are defenders of Palestine against genocide, not terrorists. This effort to intimidate and create fear by introducing anti terror legislation to use against those who are having an effect in opposing Israel’s genocide, is itself, terrorism. Please don’t be afraid, don’t be silenced, the time to fight for Palestine and for our own rights, is now.
I think the manner of my arrest, the violence of it, the humiliation of it, the very public display of massive power against an old woman by so many officers was part of this tactic. Please don’t let it intimidate you or stop you from taking action.
Thanks to those of you who sent the massive number of videos of my arrest, they will be very useful in helping in a number of legal actions I will be involved in. I would like to add these videos, taken from every angle possible, clearly exposes the actions of the police and shows that my behaviour was calm and did not merit their response in any way.
On the question of my bail conditions I’m pretty sure they are the same or similar to most people across the country. I have to attend court in three months time which can be extended, perhaps a number of times. The problem arises because of where I live and possibly a mistake by the police.
My bail conditions are ;
I cannot attend any demonstration in support of Palestine Action.
I cannot enter Liverpool City Centre. ( the city centre is defined in the bail map).
I must live at my home address.
It was made very clear that I will be arrested if I break the bail conditions even arrested if I call into a shop if I go to a hospital or doctors appointment .
The conditions become seriously prohibitive and draconian for me because I really do live within the city centre, within the boundaries defined on their map. This of course means I shouldn’t really be living in my own home except the bail conditions say I must.
No matter how many times me and my husband said and indicated where we lived, the two police officers insisted we lived somewhere else. They went away for a while to check, came back and assured us we didn’t live within the restricted area and insisted we lived somewhere off the map. It was kafkaesque. I was returned to my cell for a further two and a half hours ( approximately) before I was released.
As I was leaving I was told I couldn’t speak to anyone outside the police station or I would be arrested.
I felt awful not being allowed to thank all those comrades , I’m told about 100 of you overall,who waited outside in the rain, hour after hour until we were released. It was amazing for me and Billie to see the support and solidarity out there. Billie and I were not allowed to speak to each other and were in different cells. We have spoken since and are in touch. He was amazing.
The situation now is that my lawyer is in touch with the police every day in an attempt to get my bail conditions changed. For now,until they are changed I cannot walk in my own street , go to my local shop, local pub, walk in my local park, go to meetings, visit friends, family or even my neighbours, I’m confined to my home and can’t have a normal life. Maybe the police really believe I live outside the area and it’s a genuine mistake but I really don’t want to be arrested for breaking my bail conditions so meanwhile it is effectively like house arrest. I’m hoping there is news today
The Labour government is moving fast to the tactics of the fascists in the 1930’s surpressing our rights to free speech and protest, even against a genocide.
I hope the demonstrations to end the genocide and end the occupation of Palestine grow bigger every day. We need them to be massive.
I am hoping as I am sure all of you are, that the judicial review regarding the proscription of Palestine Action results in this law being thrown into the dustbin of history where it belongs .
Solidarity to everyone fighting in defence of Palestine and for our own freedom of speech and democratic rights.
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Non illegitimi carborundum
Solidarity, Audrey. 💪💪💪
Police issue warning of mass arrests ahead of planned Palestine Action protests
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/palestine-action-protest-london-police
What seems to be becoming problematic here is that a significant amount of energy, time and resources is, by external force of necessity, having to be focussed away from the main issue of the Genocide and the support of the Corporate/Oligarchic State for that Genocide towards simply defending and protecting the right to actually challenge what is going on.
Playing Devil’s advocate the thinking of the Establishment may well be to neutralise the protests by arresting as many as possible, setting Draconian bail conditions, and permanently extending the date of the trials citing pressures on the system. Effectively turning protestors own homes into prisons via the bail conditions.
It seems reasonable to ask those who have organised this particular protest this coming Saturday, what strategies are being considered to counter this very obvious lawfare approach?
At present the only thought that does occur is, putting it bluntly, to put as many Boomers/retirees on the front line as possible who are prepared to refuse such bail conditions and insist on being placed in HM custody on full board and lodgings until trial to fill the gaols up rather than being picked off piecemeal in this way.
Yes Dave, but once the jails are full (and they’re rammed right now) the government will direct the plod to issue FPN’s, then the courts to issue exorbitant fines instead.
…And fines come with punitive victim surcharges
…And we all know know who the ‘victims’ are, so it follows that that’s where the money’ll go.
That’s alongside the community service they’ll be ordered to carry out.
…And who’ll benefit from all that free labour??
From, at random (top of the list on my search engine:
https://www.york.gov.uk/FPN
“FPNs are an alternative to a court prosecution that can be given to anyone over 10 years old, ‘on the spot’ or by post, when:
– an enforcement officer has reason to believe a person has committed an offence
– there would be sufficient evidence to support a successful prosecution
If you receive a Fixed Penalty Notice
If you receive a Fixed Penalty Notice, you can either pay the fine on your FPN or ask for your case to be heard in court.
If you pay the fine within 14 days, you ‘discharge any liability for prosecution for the offence’ – which means we can’t prosecute you and the FPN won’t result in a criminal conviction.
If you don’t pay the fine within 14 days, we’ll start a prosecution which may result in a higher fine or imprisonment.”
So, the first hurdle for the police/authorities is that bit about evidence to support a successful prosecution.
Simply because the Defend our Juries group point is that juries have acquitted protestors involved in such actions in the past. Hence, Coopers proscription work around.
The second hurdle, again for the police and authorities in any strategy which involves retirees/Boomers who don’t have the problem of having to go to work, is:
a) The only option available for anyone on a limited income refusing to continue to pay increasing fines (can’t pay, won’t pay) is imprisonment. Back to square one.
b) Good luck trying to get older people with a lifetimes experience of the Great Game of Silly Buggers to perform any kind of community service in a practical sense. What with all the ailments of old age like dodgy knees, arthritis, iffy memory, irritable bowels, ingrained cantankerousness and so on.
Thinking about it, a few months in a cell getting fed and watered would save me enough money on food and disposables – bog paper, soap, shampoo, etc – energy costs, wear and tear on civilian clothing and so on to pay for a bloody good holiday. On top of that, while I’m sat there I’m not doing housework – ironing, cleaning, dusting, washing, cooking, washing up.
Thing is, to bypass they’d prolly subject these cantankerous OAPs to CSCAs
AKA Community Service Capability Assesments.
And in the same way they had dental nurses assessing and determining the mentally ill or the chronically physically sick, it wouldnt be a surprise to see the board of deputies or lawyers for israel getting the gig to carry the CSCAs out.
That would result in some, let’s go with, ‘interesting’ public optics. You could have that as a regular feature on MOTD – this week’s own goals!
Never mind the language in the reports back from those tasked with running the service in the field – who have their own productivity tick in boxes targets to meet – asking WHY TF are you sending me 76 year old Mavis who has arthritis in her hands and can’t hold anything; 80 year old Norman who has to rush off to the bog every fifteen minutes; and 85 year old Frank with Parkinsons. Not to mention 70 year old Alice who can’t remember what day it is?
And how am I supposed to get anything done and meet my targets with people like 70 year old Ron (dodgy heart) and 71 year old Ray (diabetes/bad back, and hips) and a whole bunch of other similar characters who seem to have been professional skivers before they retired, and who know every trick and dodge in the book and a whole lot more that aren’t even listed in the book?
Yeah! Ryet!. I can definitely see that working.
Pssssst: I have a bridge to rent out.
When you look at what the toerags were getting away with with their WCAs and sanctions regime, the ‘optics’ might not look so good, but don’t forget that politicians rely on people having short memories.
And not many kicked up a stink about it at the time, while the MSM narrative was perverted to put the blame on the so-called shirkers.
Oh sure, david Clapton (veteran serviceman starved to death,could afford thebelectricity to keep his insulin chilled) was a ‘tragedy, abd so we’re the many others like him….but the policy was necessary…that was the gist of the MSM outlook.
I’m not saying it WILL come to that, but don’t be surprised if it ever comes to pass that it’ll have been considered at (keefs) cabinet.
Gotta win them faragists over somehow…
David Clapson
(Bloody autocorrect)
That would be this demographic…..
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-uk-voting-intentions-survey-b2764536.html
“only 8% of 18 to 24-year-olds support Reform, compared with 35% of 50 to 64-year-olds and 33% of the over-65s.”
Locking up on mass the over 65’s certainly represents an interesting strategy for winning over the Faragists.
Do you think for one second that the faragists give a flying one about the Palestinians – or those that are protesting on their behalf?
You’re kidding yourself if you believe as much.
Nope. They’d much rather a similar autocratic, apartheid state, here. For them, proscription doesn’t go far enough.
Like everybody else, they ain’t completely daft when it comes to joining the dots.
If the Establishment can arrest old people, or any age group, en masse and place them under effective house arrest for protesting over Palestine, they can do exactly the same to old people – or any other age group – protesting about immigration outside hotels/hostels etc or protesting the loss of local farms and anything else which animates that particular cohort within that demographic.
As the inevitable decay and decline spreads wider and deeper as a result of the numpty policies of the single transferable party, more and more people from all over the political spectrum are going to find themselves in the firing line.
From breaching restrictions over protesting near facilities housing immigrants, to protesting outside MP’s offices and Parliament over the (as yet potential) scrapping of the triple lock on pensions. Any number of examples and potential examples spring to mind in the four years till the next scheduled election.
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.
Solidarity & seems appalling restrictions on Audrey et al’s liberty.
I’m just wondering what political support Audrey & others are getting to break these Right Wing Labour initiated chains?
Eg from sympathetic local MPs, Mayors, trade unions & councillors?
I’d be raising Merry hell!
And in my area we have a Mayor & a Deputy who has responsibility for policing.
I’ve contacted the Labour one quoting Justice Chamberlain’s comments concerning some police misinterpreting the law and some failing to understand it.
From my experience in regularly visiting Liverpool (Beatles fan) the local judiciary in my opinion seems particularly harsh towards diverse w class people (?) and perhaps it’s dominance by the middle class & upper class needs addressing by a future Left JC/ZS party to eliminate any potential class bias?
Orwell’s ‘1984’ Ministry of Truth seems to becoming art imitating practice under Right Wing Labour.
I’m just wondering what political support Audrey & others are getting to break these Right Wing Labour initiated chains?
Eg from sympathetic local MPs, Mayors, trade unions & councillors?
Don’t expect to hear owt from that scruffy meff of a hanger-on rotherham, useless, spineless get that he is.
I’ve never known a (scouse) liverpool-based politician to be so timid and supine as he.
But then again, you only need to be reminded of THAT video of Audrey outting keef on his place to remember what sort of weasel rotherham is.