Human Rights Barrister, 94, Arrested at Palestine Action Protest Outside Labour Conference
Police arrested Margaret Owen and other demonstrators for supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
A 94-year-old human rights barrister, Margaret Owen, was among those arrested by police during a Palestine Action protest outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Sunday.
The demonstration, which involved more than 250 people, took place outside the Liverpool Experience Campus. Protesters were holding homemade placards that read: "I support Palestine Action."
Officers initially observed the protest before making arrests, informing demonstrators that they were supporting a proscribed organization. The arrests, which occurred on the first day of the Labour Party conference, continued for several hours.
Chants of "free, free Palestine" could be heard as individuals were escorted away by police. Sources indicated that protesters were informed they were being arrested under the Terrorism Act for holding their signs.
Amnesty International condemned the police actions, labeling the arrests a "shameful attack on free speech." Kerry Moscogiuri, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, stated, "The arrests of grandparents, teenagers and everyone in between for holding placards outside the Labour Party conference are a truly shameful attack on freedom of speech." She urged the new Prime Minister to reform laws to protect the right to demonstrate.
A spokesperson for the protest organizers, Defend Our Juries, expressed hope that the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, would discontinue the ban on Palestine Action, citing public pressure and the resources required for enforcement. The organization argued that continuing the proscription is "illogical, unsustainable and immoral." They stated that hundreds of individuals, including teachers, pensioners, and healthcare workers, were willing to be arrested to urge Burnham to take action against alleged Israeli war crimes and to end U.K. complicity.
The Labour Party conference is scheduled to conclude on September 30. The conference has also seen internal party discussions on migration, with tensions arising after Angela Rayner criticized Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's proposals regarding migrant residency.
