Film director Ken Loach hits out at 'absurd' Palestine Action ban

At least 1,500 people have signed up to support the group on Saturday, despite recent arrests

Police arrest a supporter of Palestine Action at a protest organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries in August. EPA

British film director Ken Loach slammed the proscription of Palestine Action as “absurd” on Wednesday, with over 1,500 people expected to demonstrate against the ban in UK cities on Saturday.

Known for his award-winning socialist films about British life, Mr Loach now opposes the UK government’s ban of the direct-action group Palestine Action. His colleague, scriptwriter Paul Laverty, was arrested in Edinburgh for wearing a T-shirt that said “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action”.

“I think it's time now we went on the attack,” he said on Wednesday, ahead of a planned demonstration in support of Palestine Action later this week.

“As well as defending the Palestinians with all our might, we now have to turn our gun on to Starmer and his government itself, and say you are in breach of the Genocide Convention to which Britain is a signatory,” he said.

Hundreds more people have pledged to attend a September 6 demonstration in support of Palestine Action in the past two days, after police made seven new arrests on Tuesday.

Those arrested in dawn raids included Tim Crosland, a former government lawyer and leader of the campaign group Defend Our Juries, who had been a key organiser of the protests in support of Palestine Action.

But the demonstrations will go ahead anyway, Defend Our Juries said, and will take place in London, Edinburgh and Belfast on Saturday, where protesters will hold up a placard saying “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”

Ken Loach, wearing a Gaza pin badge, attends the Bafta Film Awards in London in 2024. WireImage

Protesters face immediate arrest for expressing support for a terrorism organisation, under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act. More than 700 have been arrested since the ban on Palestine Action was imposed in July, and 114 have been charged.

They were immediately released on street bail, which done by police for speed, but requires the suspect to accept probation without legal representation.

A “significant percentage” of those previously arrested will be taking part in the demonstration again on Saturday, putting them in breach of their bail conditions, according to Claudia Penna Rojas, a 27-year old legal support worker who was arrested at the August demonstration.

“I will be there. I know other people have also broken those conditions in the past and are willing to do it again,” she said. “It's a refusal to be intimidated by a government who are facilitating genocide.”

“The aim of the protest is to challenge this legislation which we know is wrong, which we know is illegal. The public see through this, they're not in support, and they want this to be reversed,” she said.

Protesters have been told to “go floppy” when arrested, and not to comply with the “charade of street bail” in a briefing document by Defend Our Juries. “It will not be practically possible for the police to arrest 1,000 non-compliant people on the same day,” the document states.

A national march for Palestine is also planned across central London on the same day – but the two rallies will be separate from each other.

The mass arrests that ensued following the ban has led to criticism, including from MPs who voted in favour of proscription.

More than half of those arrested have been aged over 60.

Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, was arrested in July and charged under Section 13 of the terrorism Act. “We have to stop co-operating with evil, and the very good way to do this is to come out on the streets with our signs saying, I support Palestine action,” she said.

Ms Penna Rojas rejected suggestions that the tactics used at the demonstration could alienate other Londoners who support the Palestinian cause. “Frankly, if holding a placard silently outside Parliament Square is damaging or risking public safety, then we have lost democracy,” she said.

Jolyon Maugham KC, a human rights barrister and founder and executive director of Good Law Project said the arrest of Defend Our Jury members had a “different character” to those of Palestine Action protesters.

“Defend Our Juries' concern is creeping authoritarianism and the need to protect important democratic safeguards like free speech, the right to protest and the right to a jury trial. There is no speech more important than speech that defends democracy – and we are criminalising it.”

Amnesty International condemned the arrest of Defend Our Juries spokespeople as “terrifying example of the UK authorities' willingness to use authoritarian practices to silence dissent”.

Calling for their immediate release, Amnesty describe the arrest of the spokespeople for the campaign to Lift the Ban on Palestine Action as “a clear violation of international law”.