By Jamie Green
24 UK activists imprisoned for opposing genocide
In the largest coordinated hunger strike since the 1981 Republican hunger strikes that led the deaths of Bobby Sands and nine others, imprisoned pro-Palestinian activists, arrested for the breaking into a facility in Filton, Bristol, are on hunger strike. Eight of the ‘Filton 24’ are said to be in “critical danger”, with 5 now hospitalised. The hunger strike against their detention conditions has now entered its second month.
The use of anti-terrorism powers in this case, described by Amnesty International as a “threat to expression and assembly rights for everyone” should be a serious concern to the labour movement and is nothing short of authoritarian state violence.
The protest action that led to their arrest was in August 2014, yet some of them have only started their trial in the last few weeks. Others are going to have to wait until next April, yet others until June. It means that some of those imprisoned have now been awaiting trial for well over a year. A period on remand of nearly two years before trial – as it will be for some – is an absolute disgrace and is far beyond a more normal pre-trial custody limits.
Such a long pre-trial wait is described by Freedom House as a “common tactic” of repressive regimes. The long remand period – effectively detention without trial, is used by repressive regimes to “intimidate and silence their perceived political opponents.”
The detained activists are accused of damage to property and related offences, in an action that took place before disgraceful designation of Palestine Action as a ‘terrorist organisation’. Their action was a protest against Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems in Britain for its complicity in the Gaza genocide of the Palestinians people.
One of the detainees, Qesser Zuhrah, who launched her hunger strike over 40 days ago, described how she was left to “lie on her cell floor” as she requested medical assistance and prison medical staff hung up on her call requesting an ambulance. Another, Kamran Ahmed, who has been on remand for over a year awaiting trial, has been without food for over 33 days. The family wait by the phone and fear for the worse.
The conditions of the activists were detailed in a letter handed to the desk of the Justice Secretary, David Lammy, but he has refused so far to meet with concerned MPs, even drawing a rebuke from the Speaker of the Commons. Labour MP John McDonnell raised a point of order in support of the imprisoned, sponsoring an early day motion, calling for Lammy to intervene.
All socialists and trade unionists must condemn such an authoritarian approach to civil resistance and protest, and show solidarity with the Filton 24. This violence and disregard for lives of workers have and will again be used against the working class.
Workers should not be forced to labour and struggle in the death machine, producing arms or any other goods of war. All arms manufacturing should cease and be immediately taken into democratic public ownership. Workers deserve, and must demand, a just transition away from the manufacture of weapons of war, and into industries where better jobs, livelihoods and ecology are prioritised and pursued.
Solidarity with the Filton 24!
Suggestions and help in supporting the Filton 24 are in this toolkit, here.
