A wave of protests against Israel’s genocide has kept UK counter-terrorism police rather busy because they have decided peaceful protesters count as terrorists.
One such “terrorist” is 74-year-old Audrey White who has a body count of *checks notes* zero. She was planning to kill a further *checks notes* zero. She was also planning to hurt zero people and spread zero terror. Horrifyingly, White held up a sign at a peaceful protest and brave police officers saved us from this murderous grandma. I bet you’re feeling safe now, aren’t you?
Audrey White has spoken to Skwawkbox about the draconian way police have treated her. She has also posted several statements on Twitter, explaining her ordeal and expressing similar sentiments. She asked social media users to share her words which start with thanking everyone who has supported her.
Here is an excerpt from her statement:
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.
After the public backlash to the treatment of Sarah Wilkinson last year, I had hoped police would ease off on their heavy-handed approach to grandmas, but unfortunately not.
White explained that she believes the government/police are trying to intimidate and create fear through their abuse of anti-terror legislation. The irony here is that they are doing exactly what they accuse the “terrorists” of doing - using fear to achieve their political goals.
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.
White refuses to be intimidated and urges others not to be silenced and to continue standing up for Palestinian rights. She has hinted at possible legal action against the police for the heavy-handed manner in which they arrested her. She explained she has multiple videos showing her actions were perfectly calm and did not require several police officers to drag ger away. The very idea that this needed more than one officer is ludicrous.
White is now under house arrest and cannot attend demonstrations or enter Liverpool city centre, even though she lives in Liverpool city centre! As White was leaving the police station, she was told she could not speak to anyone outside or she would be arrested. She was told she will be arrested if she leaves the house even for a hospital or GP appointment. She cannot so much as walk to the corner shop.
How is that possibly proportionate, please? Nobody can claim with a straight face that this woman is likely to hurt any member of the public. White has not been convicted of any crime, yet she is a prisoner for objecting to the ultimate crime. Let’s call this what it is: fascism.
White certainly understands:
The Labour government is moving fast to the tactics of the fascists in the 1930’s suppressing our rights to free speech and protest, even against a genocide.
Abuse of count-terrorism laws is one of many methods Sir Keir Starmer is employing to crack down on criticism of Israel. Another would be the Online Safety Act which is hiding social media posts from those who haven’t submitted their ID to social media companies so they can be monitored by authorities.
As White has pointed out, government ministers can freely support a genocide, but we are censored and sometimes treated as terrorists when we object to their support for Israel’s terrorism.
It says a lot about the UK nowadays under a Labour government- it’s ok to actually support and show support for Israel’s genocide against Palestine -the prime minister and his ghouls are proud of it every day but show support to an organisation that peacefully campaigns against it and your the one standing accused of terrorism.
The situation is so ludicrous, I’m unclear if people will be arrested for objecting to the mistreatment of White and others. I suspect someone is holding meetings, discussing whether they think they can get away with doing exactly that.
We are entering an increasingly authoritarian time when the restrictions against those with a conscience are getting worse by the day. What choice do we have but to stand up for our rights?
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