Manchester Trades Union Council, the umbrella body for trade unionists living and working in the city, strongly opposes the proposal to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. If enforced, this would make expression of support for the group, or for their actions, a criminal offence under terrorism legislation, attracting a jail sentence.
The definition of terrorism in the Terrorism Act 2000 is dangerously broad. Had this legislation been in place at the time, anyone in Britain who expressed support for the Suffragettes, the French resistance to Nazi occupation, Gandhi, the Greenham Common women, Greenpeace or Nelson Mandela could be classed as a terrorist.
The proposal is just the latest in a series of restrictions to democratic rights to free speech and the right to protest in Britain, but it is a serious escalation. Until now, the list of proscribed organisations mainly relates to armed conflict in Ireland and around the world. An exception is National Action, a Nazi group whose members celebrated the murder of Jo Cox MP and planned the murder of Rosie Cooper MP. To put protesters who take actions such as throwing paint over property to oppose the genocide in Gaza in the same category is outrageous. Whatever people feel about the actions of Palestine Action, they do not cause terror and are not intended to cause terror. Palestine Action are not terrorists.
Proscribing a non-violent group as terrorists sets an extremely dangerous precedent. Around the world we are seeing the growth of far right parties. The Labour government should not be paving the way for even greater abuses by future governments who may target anyone who stands up to the rich and powerful – including trade unionists.
We call on MPs to oppose the proscription, and on every other individual and organisation which supports democracy to speak out and campaign against it. People can sign petitions and letters by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Palestine Action, or the Haldane Society, contribute to the Crowdfunder for a legal challenge, or email politicians.
Manchester Trades Union Council