A video clip has shown an astonishing interaction between a protester and two police officers in Kent. In the clip, the protester – Laura Murton – was threatened with arrest while they held a Palestine flag and displayed a placard reading ‘Israel is committing genocide’.
In the clip, Murton is seen being approached by two police officers who asked them what their intention was. The police went on to ask whether Murton supported any proscribed group. She confirmed that she did not, going on to say “I support a free Palestine and the end of genocide.”
Following this, one of the officers asked for her details saying that she may be ‘committing an offence’ and that he needed to make sure that she was ‘legit’.
Murton then asked the officer what offence she may be committing, and was told that it related to support for proscribed groups. She responded to this by saying she didn’t “have anything on me which says that”. The officer then said “the way you are behaving at the moment” would “give me suspicion to believe you could be”.
A second officer can then be seen saying “My colleague’s explained that the support of this – mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel genocide, all of that – all would come under proscribed groups which are terror groups that have been dictated by the government which we have suspicions to suggest that you’re supporting based on your actions here in a city with the flags and the posters you’ve got.”
Later in the clip, the same officer went on to say “I’ll tell you the offences that we’ve been asked to deal with things like this. So you’ve got to belong or profess to a proscribed organisation – so Palestine Action”. After Murton said “which I have not”. The officer then said “and you haven’t”, but continued: “Invite support for a proscribed organisation – you haven’t. Express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation. Now, that you have done.”
Murton responded to this by saying “That’s ridiculous, you’re going to end up arresting half the country.” The officer then said “I didn’t make the legislation. That is the legislation.” He later added that if Murton continued their protest in a different location “you’ll probably find yourself arrestable for that offence”.
The incident follows the controversial decision by the government to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group.
Speaking to the Guardian, Murton said: “I don’t see how anything I was wearing, how anything I was displaying, anything I was saying, could be deemed as supportive of the proscribed group.”
“It’s terrifying, I was standing there thinking, this is the most authority, authoritarian, dystopian experience I’ve had in this country, being told that I’m committing terrorist offences by two guys with firearms.”
“I ended up giving my details, and I really resent the fact I had to do that because I don’t think that was lawful at all.”
According to the Guardian, a Kent police spokesperson said: “Under the Terrorism Act it is a criminal offence to carry or display items that may arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation such as Palestine Action.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
Image credit: Scotgunn – Creative Commons
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