I wrote to the Metropolitan Police Commission last week saying:
Dear Commissioner
As you will know, yesterday (3rd November), around twenty-five campaigners were arrested outside the Supreme Court for holding up signs using the same or similar words said by Sarah Helm, the wife of the government’s National Security Adviser, who had posted on X “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” Her words were widely reported in the media with the police stating it “does not meet criminal threshold.” This seems common sense advice and I commend the police for taking no action. However, it is very confusing for members of the public when they are subsequently arrested for holding up signs using similar language, such as “God help us normal people who support Palestine and Palestine Action.”
I am concerned about reputational damage being suffered by the Met Police as a result of the arrests of those supporting Palestine Action.
There appears to be a lack of clarity about what is and isn’t support for this proscribed organisation.
I did oppose the proscription of Palestine Action with an unsuccessful Fatal Motion in the Lords and worry it is damaging both the public’s support for anti-terrorism laws and the police’s enforcement of them. The proscription of PA has led to over four thousand people being arrested for completely non-violent protests, such as sitting silently while holding up a placard. It has diverted police resources, clogged up the courts and could result in further over-crowding of prisons. Given the nature of the crimes committed by those on early release, as a result of over-crowding, it does feel like the police and the Govt have got all their priorities wrong.
It has also resulted in a great deal of confusion about what does and doesn’t constitute terrorism.
After twelve years on the Metropolitan Police Authority, I felt I had a good understanding of the serious nature of dealing with terrorist threats, but the proscription of Palestine Action has overextended the definition and a large section of public opinion does not agree with it. There are examples of the police ignoring a protest in one part of the country, but making arrests for exactly the same form of protest in another area. A form of words on a placard my get a person arrested on one day, but fail to get a reaction from the police on another.
The police clearly have a large degree of operational discretion in how they apply the rules on the proscription of Palestine Action and I therefore urge you to focus the Met’s scarce resources on the public’s priority of dealing with violent and serious crimes.
Yours jj
