UK’s (selective) clampdown on protest
JVL Introduction
The European Legal Support Centre has “verified 964 cases of “anti-Palestinian repression” from January 2019 until August 2025, including students being investigated over their solidarity, activists being arrested, employees facing disciplinary procedures and artists having their events cancelled.” (See Index of Repression)
“The main immediate goal of this anti-Palestinian repression is to depoliticise the movement, to make it seem as though it’s not a legitimate political and ethical struggle, but rather a security problem, a problem of so-called anti-Semitism or a breach of compliance…”
It is also true that when challenged, many of the cases are dropped or lost but the impact of this repression is chilling. This week we have seen the opening of court proceedings against Ben Jamal (of PSC) and Chris Nineham (Stop the War) for their part in a peaceful demonstration that took place over a year ago!
ELSC’s Abdelhamid said.“I don’t think that (the repression) has succeeded (in its aims)… two years on we still see people resisting the repression happening in Britain [and] speaking up and acting for Palestine and against the genocide.”
While solidarity with Palestine has seen the highest degree of repression, environmental activists are also targeted.
LL
This article was originally published by Al Jazeera on Wed 25 Feb 2026. Read the original here.
‘Anti-Palestinian repression’: Legal experts document hundreds of UK cases
Group says its new public database reveals extent of broad crackdown on solidarity movement.
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Seeing our personal experiences of hard struggle, censorship and limited successes explained by the sheer size, complexity and self-reinforcing nature of the opposition against justice and self-determination for the Palestinians is a “good” in itself. It’s easier to take some pride in simply not giving up the good fight and to endure the scarcity of victories.
I think the side of good IS on the cusp of winning now (though at huge cost to the Palestinians) but the progress being made is below the surface and generally unreported.
China (with a big military weapons sector) is said to have warned the USA they’d help Iran defend itself against a US attack. If there’s no Iran war to distract the Israelis, then the government may fall due to its unpopularity and the ongoing court case against Netanyahu. A leaderless Israel (and a similarly leaderless USA, as Trump is in deep trouble too) could provide a window for genuine negotiations and the free State of Palestine on the 1967 borders. We have to hope …