Proposed proscription of ‘Palestine Action’ condemned by Derry and Strabane councillors

The proposed proscription of the ‘Palestine Action’ group by British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been condemned by a majority of Derry City and Strabane District councillors.

‘Palestine Action’ is a pro-Palestinian protest network that uses direct action to “disrupt” the arms industry in Britian. A key target has been the British factories of Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.

Speaking at Council’s June plenary, Cllr Shaun Harkin (PBP) said there had been an “escalation in recent weeks by the British Government to criminalise solidarity with the Palestinian people”.

“The move to proscribe ‘Palestine Action’ will set a very dangerous precedent,” said Cllr Harkin. “It is aimed at chilling Palestine solidarity in Ireland, in Britain and very much across the world.

“It comes at a very dangerous moment in the world. We have seen the escalation by Israel and the US of bombing Iran but we also have the new report that was authored by an Israeli professor that has looked at the Palestinian population inside Gaza and has found that 377,000 people have been disappeared since the genocide began.

“We have seen an effort by the British Government to hide its own complicity by trying to label people taking action as terrorists.

“The thing about ‘Palestine Action’ is they haven’t hurt anyone. They haven’t killed anybody. They haven’t blown anything up. They have not done anything like what the British Government is actually supporting in Gaza, where real terrorism is actually being carried out.

“I think we as a Council should send a very strong message to the British Government calling on it to drop this proposal to ban ‘Palestine Action,’” said Cllr Harkin.

The full text of Cllr Harkin’s motion, which was seconded by Cllr Catherine McDaid (SDLP) read: “Council agrees protesting the Gaza genocide is not a crime and opposes efforts to criminalise ‘Palestine Solidarity’.

“Council will write to British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding proposals to ban ‘Palestine Action’ are immediately dropped.

“Council commends people across the world, who have been relentless in their efforts to stop Israel’s genocidal actions and expose those, including the British Government, complicit with it.”

Cllr McDaid said ‘Palestine Action’ activists were “spray painting planes and protesting on the street”.

“This has been considered a terrorist act,” she said, “whereas the British Government as well as others are funding actual war crimes.

“These planes that they have painted are providing support to a country and an army that has been found guilty of war crimes and they are out for international arrest.”

Cllr Pat Murphy (Sinn Féin) described the British Government as “complicit in the genocide that is ongoing”.

He added: “Rather than banning protest groups that are highlighting the slaughter of innocent, defenceless civilians, the British Government should end all arms sales to Israel and impose political and economic sanctions.”

Ald Derek Hussey (UUP) said he would not be supporting the motion because “spraying paint into the engine of an aircraft disables that aircraft and to disable part of the defence of our nation, to me, is a terrorist offence”.

Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent) recalled a firm in Derry in the recent past which “was manufacturing software for missiles that were killing dark skinned children in Lebanon”.

He added: “A number of activists occupied that building and dismantled the mainframe and destroyed the mechanisms of war within that building. I was one of them and it was probably one of the proudest things I have ever done in my life.

“When that trial came to court, those who were before the court were found not guilty by a jury of their peers, simply because they were able to prove that in committing a crime, they prevented a bigger crime taking place.”