Defend Our Juries

Police arrested 14 activists in London after they staged a protest outside New Scotland Yard, urging officers to join the proscribed group Palestine Action. The arrests occurred under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act, which criminalizes inviting support for banned organizations.

The UK Court of Appeal ruled the government's ban on Palestine Action as a terrorist organization lawful, rejecting claims it was a non-violent civil disobedience group. The decision overturned a High Court ruling that found the group's activities did not warrant a ban, with the government citing acts like breaking into a Royal Air Force base and vandalizing defense sites as justification.

A judge in a Palestine Action trial refused to recuse himself from sentencing proceedings despite defendants' claims of bias. The judge, Justice Jeremy Johnson, is expected to add a 'terrorism connection' to the charges of four defendants, while legal experts and defense lawyers have criticized his conduct, including a controversial referral of a defense counsel for contempt.

Research reveals an increase in jailing individuals in England and Wales for climate and Gaza-related protests, with a report claiming Britain has created a new breed of political prisoners through harsher custodial sentences for direct action.