Arabic version: نشطاء بريطانيون يواجهون الاعتقالات والترهيب لدعمهم لفلسطين

Civil rights groups and Palestine solidarity campaigners are accusing the United Kingdom of employing “intimidation tactics” following the recent arrests of two young pro-Palestinian activists while they were on bail. According to Al Jazeera, 21-year-old Qesser Zuhrah was detained after sharing a social media post that encouraged direct action. She was arrested at her home in Watford at dawn just a month after being released on bail following 15 months in prison awaiting trial, during which she participated in a lengthy hunger strike.

In a separate incident, 23-year-old Audrey Corno was arrested by plainclothes police officers in south London. She was accused of tampering with her electronic tag, a charge she denies. Corno described the arrest as shocking and traumatizing, stating that she was approached by officers who had been waiting outside her home.

Both activists had previously faced imprisonment over their alleged involvement in raids on military hardware manufacturers in 2024, actions claimed by the direct action group Palestine Action. Despite a High Court ruling declaring the UK’s designation of Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organization unlawful, it remains illegal to show support for the group as the government prepares for an appeal.

Zuhrah has been charged with “encouraging or assisting” criminal damage related to her social media posts, while Corno was also released hours after her arrest. Naila Ahmed from CAGE International criticized the arrests as part of a broader pattern of repression against pro-Palestine activists, asserting that the legal framework is being used to criminalize political dissent.

The arrests coincide with rising tensions between police and the Palestine solidarity movement in the UK. A significant protest is scheduled in London, where demonstrators are expected to express their support for Palestine Action amidst ongoing violence in Gaza. Recent polling indicates a shift in public sentiment, with one in three Britons expressing no sympathy for the Israeli side in the conflict. Critics argue that the government is intensifying its crackdown on pro-Palestine activism, evidenced by mass arrests during recent demonstrations.