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Police find Palestine flag offensive

John | 24.01.2005 14:43 | Anti-militarism | Repression

Greater Manchester Police criminalise pro-Palestinian protest

Greater Manchester Police are actively attempting to criminalise pro-Palestinian protest in Manchester. In the three weeks since the end of their ban on the regular Saturday picket of Marks and Spencer in Market Street Manchester, they have:

On 15 Jan seized a Palestinian flag on the grounds that a police officer found it ‘offensive’;

On 22 Jan seized two placards because they had ‘Victory to the Intifada’ written on them;

On all occasions allowed Zionists to hound, abuse and harass picketers with impunity claiming that this was acceptable behaviour on a public demonstration


The Picket, which calls for a boycott of M&S because of the store’s political and financial support for the Israeli state, has taken place weekly since the start of the Intifada in September 2000. Chief Constable Michael Todd banned the picket for a period of five weeks over Christmas and New Year under Section 14 of the Public Order Act, a ban which is now subject to Judicial Review. Nine people were arrested on 4 December when they attempted to continue the protest. GMP actions since then show that they have dropped any pretence at impartiality.


On Saturday 15 January Sergeant Redfern of GMP seized a Palestinian flag from the Picket on the grounds that she found the flag 'offensive'. She also broke one flag pole and seized a second. She offered no explanation as to the power under which she was taking this action. This last Saturday, police arbitrarily removed two placards from the Picket following a complaint from a Zionist counter protester, on the grounds that the words 'Victory to the Intifada' was 'an incitement to racial hatred'. This is nonsense: the picket has always stood against all forms of racism, and placards with this slogan have been present at every picket over the last four years. But the police are now acting as Zionist censors, and are trying to prevent lawful protest in support of the Palestinian people.

We demand an end to this censorship, and an end to the attempt to criminalise lawful protest in support of the Palestinian people.


Contact Press Officer on 07816547066 for further information.

John

Comments

Display the following 64 comments

  1. RE JOHNS USELESS COMMENTS — ADAM CONLON
  2. You are racist though — Peter Pan
  3. burn ALL flags — Rudi
  4. burn ALL flags — Rudi
  5. M&S is a Racist Company — E&NP
  6. for a real peace — flag-burning Jew
  7. Zionism — Robert Zimmerman
  8. So you want to burn the Jewish Flag? big surprise — Jewish and Proud
  9. Symbolism — Victoria
  10. zionism=racism — e&np
  11. RE FLAG BURNING JEW — ADAM CONLON
  12. Anti Zionism = Anti Semitism — J&P
  13. An arab plea for an end to Palestinian violence — Arab pacifist
  14. Been here before — Victoria Siempre
  15. VICTORIA — ADAM CONLON
  16. Blind lost sheep — Zimmerman
  17. Dear Adam... — Victoria Siempre
  18. thank you victoria — adam conlon
  19. ONE MORE LITTLE POINT — ADAM CONLON
  20. Reply to Adam — Victoria
  21. Adams threat — Chris
  22. ALLOW ME CLARIFY!!!!!! — ADAM CONLON
  23. fao J&P — e&np
  24. Hello racists — Dan
  25. Never Again — John
  26. MLK Speech — e&np
  27. CHEERS DAN — ADAM CONLON
  28. John - you have no respect — J&P
  29. ADAM CONLON IS A CONFUSED YOUNG MAN — SOMEONE WHO KNOWS
  30. Ignore them Adam — J&P
  31. RE SUMONE WHO DOESNT KNOW!!! — ADAM CONLON
  32. Dans insightful comments — Chris
  33. So what — Dan
  34. Something to think about...... — Anon....
  35. What are you on about? — J&P
  36. I have not failed to answer why your question..... — Neutral...
  37. Easy on the dope boys — J&P
  38. Oppressing others — PETE
  39. Past tense Pete — J&P
  40. Zionists attack "self-hating Jews" ! — PETE
  41. fao J&P — anon...
  42. Zionism is the real enemy of the Jews — anon...
  43. So what are kassam attacks — J&P
  44. Jewish and proud of what exactly? — RK
  45. Did I Say Israel DECLEARED a cease fire before Feb 8th? (with proof and quotes) — Anon...(still too much of a perfectionist for my own good
  46. Anti Zionists are the real enemy of the Jews — J&P
  47. BOOKS — ...
  48. Jewish pride — RK
  49. To support Palesinians is NOT Anti-Jewish — anon...
  50. Oppression & Genocide — J&P
  51. A Zionist state is NOT the answer to Anti-Semitism. — John
  52. Arthur James Balfour — Anon.....
  53. Tolerance and many wrongs not making a right — RK
  54. FAO RK — J&P
  55. Balfour — John
  56. Another anti-semite, what is new? — J&P
  57. Balfour — anon....
  58. siege mentality — RK
  59. Lets get back to why we are here! Thanks — anon...
  60. Be serious — J&P
  61. Clarification — RK
  62. Jewish freedom in every country not just one. — John
  63. Sickening lies by John — J&P
  64. Anti-zioniist parrotization — ahmad