Dozens in court over alleged support of banned group

Twenty-eight people pleaded not guilty after being charged under anti-terrorism laws for allegedly supporting the banned Palestine Movement group.

In the first of a series of complex hearings on Wednesday, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard nearly 2,000 people will be charged with supporting the group, which was banned as a terrorist organization, at demonstrations in July.

Judges are facing a scramble to find time and courtrooms to try 400 people accused of participating in the protests.

Although the judge has begun setting tentative hearing dates for March, there is no certainty that these hearings can take place before the end of 2026 due to the ongoing legal battle over banning the group.

The government banned Palestine Action under counter-terrorism legislation in July after activists broke into an RAF base and damaged two military aircraft earlier in the year.

Following this ban, more than 2,100 people were arrested at demonstrations in England and Wales. Each of them is accused of carrying a banner reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”

Nearly 170 people, mostly retirees, have so far been charged with displaying an item supporting a banned organisation. This is a low-level terrorist offense that can be heard in the magistrates’ court and can result in six months in prison.

The first of two days of special hearings to manage cases was held at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with district judge Michael Snow determining how the courts will deal with all the cases.

Most of the 28 defendants arrested during the first protests in July did not have a lawyer. This meant that many people were not clear about what was going on or did not have the opportunity to read into the basis of the accusations they faced.

Many complained to the court that their prosecutions were unfair.

Anthony Harvey, 59, left his home in Oban in the Scottish Highlands to deny supporting a banned organisation.

He told the judge: “Protesting genocide is not terrorism, I am not guilty.”

The oldest defendant was 83-year-old Reverend Susan Parfitt of Bristol, who is partially deaf.

Judge Snow gently held on to a railing in the courtroom as she stepped off the bench to sit next to Judge Snow so he could hear her.

When asked about his defense, he replied: “I was objecting to the banning of the Palestine Action and therefore I do not accept my guilt.”

David Kilroy, 66, of Plymouth, wearing a Just Stop Oil T-shirt, told the court: “When injustice becomes the law, resistance becomes a duty. It is blameless.”

During the day, prosecutor Peter Ratliff told the court that due to the ongoing legal challenge to the ban on Palestine Action, there were difficulties in determining final trial dates for the cases, which could result in 2,000 defendants, from early next year.

If this challenge overturns the ban, the investigations will almost certainly be canceled. But if the ban continues, complex questions may still arise about how suspects can defend themselves.

Three main cases coming to court in September are being given priority to resolve these questions; however, any of these legal disputes may come before the Supreme Court.

If that were the case, the hearings would perhaps have to be postponed to 2027.

Judge Snow acknowledged that plans for the 2,000 defendants might need to be revised if the Supreme Court intervened in the case, but said he would still need to set timelines. Courtrooms at Stratford Magistrates’ Court in east London are being reserved for the handling of cases.

This plan includes holding at least two hearings a day with a total of 10 defendants, starting from March 23. If the number of 2000 defendants is correct, this will require at least 400 hearings or 200 full days of court time.

But on Wednesday the defendants and a lawyer told the judge there was a risk the hearings would be too short to be fair.

Katie McFadden, acting for some of the defendants, said the half-day hearing, in which five defendants were tried simultaneously, raised questions about whether there was enough time for them to give evidence individually, present their freedom of expression arguments and be cross-examined.

Another suspect, 72-year-old Deborah Wilde, told the court: “I don’t think there can be a fair trial in this matter. [time] The limit you set aside for me. “I would like to get permission to object.”

Judge Snow told him that wasn’t legally possible.

“I am satisfied that there is enough time,” he said. “I am not giving any more time to the hearing. Your only option is the Supreme Court.”

The other 30 defendants are expected to appear in court on Thursday to continue setting trial dates.

On Friday, the Court of Appeal will rule on the government’s attempt to halt the challenge to the Palestine Action ban.

Separately, the first trial of alleged Palestine Movement members accused of crimes including violence related to targeting an Israeli defense firm is set to begin in November.