Must hunger strikers die before David Lammy takes notice?
JVL Introduction
Concern is growing for members of the Filton 24 group of direct action pro-Palestinian protesters who are on hunger strike in prison, some of them since the beginning of November.
Amnesty International called on prosecutors to “drop the allegations of a ‘terrorism connection’ in these cases and end any excessively lengthy pre-trial detention.”
We publish below Jonathan Cook’s analysis (written when the number of hunger strikers was six, now eight) of the media’s failure to treat the story with the prominence it deserves. Below that, Novara Live Editor Kieran Andrieu outlines details of the case which might explain why Justice Secretary David Lammy has been at pains to pretend it is not happening.
The 24 were imprisoned over alleged protests against Israeli genocide. They have been held on remand without trial far beyond the 6 month legal limit and have faced serious mistreatment inside prison. Some have been denied access to their lawyers while hospitalised.
Prisoners for Palestine have organised a petition calling on Lammy to intervene and protect the hunger strikers. Their story, as Jonathan Cook points out, has received scant media coverage. Only in the last few days has their worsening condition attracted some attention.
An NME article covered protests on their behalf by Kneecap and other musicians. The BBC finally caught up with the story on December 10 when lawyers called for an urgent meeting with Lammy and warned of a “real and increasingly likely potential” that their clients would die in prison as part of their protest. Lammy has resisted the call, despite support from some MPs and an Early Day Motion in Parliament initiated by John McDonnell.
On December 11, a webinar organised by Tony Greenstein who is facing terrorism charges for defending Palestinians’ right under international law to resist their oppressors, covered many issues relevant to the Filton 24 cases.
See also Electronic Intifada’s video Hunger striking UK political prisoners learn lessons from Palestine
NWI
This article was originally published by Jonathan Cook's Substack on Thu 4 Dec 2025. Read the original here.
The hunger strike is not being televised – nor will the last gasps of our dying freedoms
Six political prisoners who targeted factories arming Israel’s genocide are weeks into a hunger strike. But in contrast to the IRA’s 1980s hunger strike, this one is being blanked by the media
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Words fail….Lammy is beyond disgusting, a liar so steeped in the blood of others that he pleads ignorance. I am so worried for these brave young people. The government and MSM should be ashamed.
Shocking,shaming,unconsciouble,disgraceful. Words fail me.The malignant Trumpian influence is driving this.This Govt.is terrified of standing up for Palestinian,because it would be in direct confrontation with the capricious present day Caligula.AKA Trump.The so called western free world is collectively guilty of Genocide. A stain on all us.
This so called ‘Labour’ government should be humiliated by its complicity and enabling of genocide. But they have no sense of shame. We must organise in small groups
This is beyond shocking. I had no idea until I was sent the link from someone in Canada. I am deeply ashamed to be a lifetime Labour voter (I’m 73). And I am appalled that this is happening in this country under ANY government. How can we make this atrocity more widely known?
This is murder by the British state.
If you look at the history of how they treated Bobby Sands, you’d see this is all on cue for Labour.
But Novarra has been very reticent – the article above appears in some newsletter that he will see. Why are they not interviewing people about it in their online broadcasts?