Lift the Ban: Who will slay the Elbit beast?

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

Because this (getting arrested) is such a departure from what I've done before, I'm constantly questioning myself. The answer so far has always been: yes, absolutely you should be doing this. I convince myself, but I also want to convince other people. That is more difficult, because there is so much I need to say and I can hear their refutations in my head. I've got answers to them, but to write it up would take ages. And there's all the back story, because, despite what I've been saying about how I've changed, it didn't come from nowhere. Bizarre though it may seem, I believe it started for me with my introduction to the Fairtrade movement in about 1980 (when I bought shares in Traidcraft). But that's for another time.

Most recently, any doubts I had were squashed by listening to the recording of a session at Greenbelt: Who will slay the Elbit beast?  

The session was Joey Hinchcliffe and Joey's mother, Clare, reading some of their poetry and recounting their experiences. Joey is one of the 'Filton 6': six young people who broke into the Elbit Systems factory in Bristol and damaged drones which they knew were destined to slaughter innocent people in Gaza. Joey was charged, went to trial and was eventually found not guilty - but only after spending 18 months in jail on remand. Four of the six were found guilty, sentenced as terrorists (despite not having been charged with terrorism) and are now serving an unreasonably long time in jail. They are, quite rightly, appealing their terrorist sentences.

There is SO much more to say about this!  But that's not what I want to do with this post. 

This post is for Clare's poem. So here it is. (It is even better if you listen to Clare reading it at Greenbelt.) 

Who will slay the Elbit beast?

Where did it come from, this vile thing?

It must have crawled out of

the north Atlantic depths

while we were all asleep

and now it's here

growing viler and more bloated by the year

and while it's too disgusting to describe

I can tell you there's an orifice beneath its tail 

that pumps out bombs and drones and piles of stinking cash

for anyone who can stand the smell

Its face is too hideous to see

- think of something like a baby's brain 

hanging from its bombed out skull -

but we don't have to look at it

it's screened off behind 

the shiny websites, offices and names

Lockheed Martin, Rafael,

British Aerospace 

and Elbit Systems, pride of Israel

offering 'solutions', 'security' and of course 'defence'

and other polished forms 

of deadly excrement

It's groomed and fed

by the billionaires it's made

and the politicians it controls

it has many, many mouths

and as each one shrieks for more

ministers disembowel their budgets

and feed it with our money

that was intended for the poor

When they meet behind closed doors

world leaders aren't discussing security or peace

they're only middle ranking sales reps

doing deals for the beast

What does this creature want from us?

A world of endless war, austerity and death

ruled by a handful of the super rich?

Do this chosen few not realise

that when the ship goes down

the beast will feast on their flesh too?

Who will slay this monster?

The long arc of the universe 

bends in unexpected ways

bringing justice

not through politicians judges or police

but through our children

armed with not much more 

than courage and outrageous love

who go into the monster's lairs

poke it with their sticks

pull its tail and crack its teeth

They get rounded up, arrested and detained

but more of them return in waves

it doesn't matter that this monster 

meets weekly with police

or that puppets in their wigs and gowns

call them 'terrorists' and send them down

the authorities cannot compete 

with those who don't fear prison

if a child's life is saved

And each time it's poked 

the monster roars and rises up

so at last its belly

swollen with the blood of innocents

becomes exposed to public view

and ends all talk of ‘self defence’

One day in the future

when its rotted corpse 

has long been thrown back in the sea 

they will know it was our children

they will say it was our children

they will sing about our children

who've slain the Elbit beast

Clare Hinchcliffe

 

Lift the Ban: Visit from the police

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

Some other people who had made escalation videos had full-scale dawn raids. I was one of those who just had a friendly visit.

I knew that I was at risk of home raid or a visit because of the experience of other people who had made the videos, but when the doorbell went at about 10:30 on the morning of Saturday 29th August 2026, it still took me by surprise when my wife called to me to say it was the police. I'd started to think it wouldn't happen.

We have had visits from the police before, but in the past they were always there to help me (like when my son had had his bike stolen from him by a couple of people stopping him on the Redway), or, most recently, when they were asking us whether we could help them with information concerning a crime in the neighbourhood. (It was, terribly, a 'domestic' murder a few doors down the street. We couldn't help, but would most definitely would have done so if we could.) So this was the first time they were after me!

It was another of these surreal experiences. They asked if they could come in but I asked them if they had a search warrant and when they said they didn't and that they didn't have an arrest warrant either, I politely refused them entrance. (Actually I think I just stood at the door and didn't invite them in. They made no further effort to get me to allow them in). They went on to explain that they were not here to arrest me, just to inform me that I might be getting a summons through the post because there had been a video posted in which they believed I was violating Section 12 of the Terrorism Act. They had a piece of paper with a screen shot from the video, and were clearly comparing the face in that with me. They also read out the spiel about 'you don't need to say anything but anything you do say etc etc.', which slightly confused me because I thought police only read out your 'rights' like that when they arrest you. 

They then asked me if I could show them anything which proved that this was my home address. That was a bit weird, as I pointed out, since they had come to my door and found me there. They said that nevertheless it might be that I don't live here, and was only here temporarily. That made no sense at all since presumably the only reason they came here was because they had already found that this was my home address. Even so, they claimed that it was in my interests to prove my address because if a summons was sent to the wrong address and I didn't go to court having not received the summons, I could be in trouble. The fact that I have already had documents through the post relating to my ongoing Section 13 charge didn't seem make any difference! I really don't know why they wanted this, but when I said I'd rather not give them anything, again they didn't argue and our meeting ended cordially.

What was this all about? I think they were doing two things: confirming the names and addresses of all of the people who had made the videos, and, while they were about it, seeing if they could gather any information (something they might see in my house) which could be used in a prosecution. My guess is that they won't be proceeding with charges now, while the legality of the proscription of Palestine Action is still going through the appeal processes, but they are gathering material now in case they want to use it later. And, as I understand it (I may be wrong!), there is no limit on when they can prosecute for a Section 12 terrorism charge (unlike the 6 month limit for a Section 13 charge).

So, there we go, another new experience in my retirement! 

Lift the Ban: Fourth arrest, 30th July 2026 "Graduation Day"

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

Note: in case you are wondering why this post is date before 30th July, that was when I first put wrote a post saying that I was going to take part. I've edited today, 2 August, with an account of what happened.

DoJ billed this as 'Graduation Day'. This is what they said;

On July 30th, 152 people were arrested at what should have been a “Graduation Day” celebration outside Westminster Magistrates Court.

More than 1,500 people had received letters stating that a hearing relating to their prosecution would take place on July 30th at the court. Their names were listed for court hearings on the day.

Instead of being permitted into the court for their listed hearings, 152 people were arrested, mostly under the Terrorism Act, while peacefully attending an event outside the court. Some were arrested just for speaking to the crowd, others for trying to put up a small platform for performers and speakers to stand on, some were even arrested for clapping!

I was one of those, listed for a court hearing (arising from my arrest on 9th August 2025 and subsequent charge under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act (TA 2000)), and then arrested on the day. They said they were arresting me under Section 12 of TA 2000, because I said something like:

"I am a member and a supporter of Palestine Action and I encourage everyone to do the same because saving lives is not terrorism"

I say 'something like' because that is what I intended to say but the day was a bit chaotic and I was nervous, so I may not have said exactly that. Also, when they didn't seem to be arresting me, I got up and said it again, facing straight at the police to make sure they heard me, and I don't know whether I said exactly the same things both times! If they decide to charge me they will need evidence, so presumably they've got video footing of the event and may have a recording of me speaking. Or else this Blog post might be used as evidence, but since I'm saying that I don't know exactly what I said - really don't! - it would be pretty weak evidence.  I understand that they may also raid my home for evidence, but if they do, I hate to disappoint them but I don't think they will find anything incriminating!

The routine is getting familiar now, and I was taken in a Pixie (police van) to Plumstead police station (which is where I was taken last time too). It took over 90 minutes to get from outside Westminster Magistrates Court to Plumstead police station, and then we sat in the Pixie for a couple of hours in the police station car park, waiting in the queue for processing. When I finally got in, it was all very calm and un-threatening. Once again there was no sense that any of the police that I had dealings with thought for one moment that I was criminal. TBH, I'm finding it quite interesting meeting all these young (very young compared to me) police men and women. I'm not going to say anything in more detail because I don't want to get them into trouble. And, I need to say again, the experience may be very different for someone who is not a white, British man like me. (Although this time I wasn't wearing my Christ the Cornerstone t-shirt because we'd been asked to wear something red. I wore my Jeremy Corbyn t-shirt which I thought might not have been universally popular, but no one said anything about it.)

But the police were not ALL like that. One constable who seemed to be directing proceeding outside Westminster Magistrates Court for part of the time suddenly started to get angry, and his face turned positively venomous. He pointed to one us and shouted that he was was tripping people up. It didn't look like that to me and TBH it looked very personal on the part of the police constable.

Section 12 of TA 2000 is a more serious offence than Section 13, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail. I'm working on the assumption that it will not come to that! DoJ and their lawyers are pretty confident that it won't, for someone like me (middle class white man), but I have to be prepared for that as a possible outcome. To put it dramatically, I have to be prepared for the eventual outcome (starting quite some way in the future, since there are still appeals pending on the proscription of Palestine Action and that, combined with the chaos in the courts as noted in the DoJ quote above, means that any conviction is still a long was off), for the eventual outcome of me spending the last years of my life in jail.

So you will appreciate that I am constantly wondering whether I am right to be doing this. Not only, though, in terms of whether I am right to be risking own liberty, but also more importantly whether the cause I am supporting is just. The news from Gaza and the West Bank, and the treatment of the Palestine Action activists*, indicates very clearly that it is.

*Most recently reports that those found guilty of smashing windows and spraying red paint on Barclays Bank are likely to receive a 'terrorism' sentence, as happened to the Filton four. 

 

Lift the Ban: Escalation video

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

WARNING - Replicating this video comes with significant risk of arrest under the UK Terrorism Act. Before doing so, you should read our Action Briefing Document IN FULL at www.defendourjuries.net/savinglives. An arrest under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act could mean house raids, tech stolen by police, and potentially up to fourteen years in prison. 

Here is the video I made for the Defend our Juries escalation of the Lift the Ban campaign on the DoJ BlueSky channel.

It is an escalation, because by calling on other people to support Palestine Action it challenges Section 12 of the Terrorism Act (2000) which is a more serious offence than Section 13 which we have been challenging to date.

Transcript:

“One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will always have been against this.”

Hello my name is David and I’m a retired University Academic who used to teach the theory and methods of information technology and telecommunications

The other thing I’d like you to know about me is how incredibly law-abiding I was for the first 67 years of my life.

I once got a speeding fine because I didn’t notice the speed limit on a road in Bletchley, but that was about the limit of my law-breaking

So when I was arrested on the 9th August last year and locked in a police cell in Kentish Town it was surreal, and not a little frightening

So what changed?

What changed is that my government has been complicit in genocide.

Complicit in war crimes, in ethnic cleansing and in genocide

Those words that I read at the beginning of the video are on the cover of a book by the American journalist Omar Al Akkad and I’d like to read you something more from that book.

Quoting Palestinian Poet Rasha Abdulhadi he says:

“Wherever you are, whatever sand you can throw on the gears of genocide, do it now. If it’s a handful, throw it. If it’s a fingernail full, scrape it out and throw. Get in the way however you can”

Palestine Action has been throwing sand into the gears of genocide and THAT is why I support them, and that is why I ask you to support them too.

Saving lives is not terrorism. I support Palestine Action and I urge you to do so too.

 

Lift the Ban: Third Arrest 12th June 2026.

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

Just a holding page for the moment, to keep the sequence of events in place 

Outside Woolwich Crown Court when the (awful!) judge passed sentence on the Filton 4.

Slight change to the placard wording for this one: 

Saving Lives is not Terrorism. I Support Palestine Action

I was taken to Plumstead police station. (They weren't doing street bail this time which was unfortunate because this time I would have been happy give them my full details so that I could get street bail on go home earlier.) So it all the usual routine as before - including the fact that they really struggled with the electronic finger-print machine! 

My arrest appeared in a photograph in the i-newspaper.

 

Lift the Ban: second arrest 11th April 2026

This is one of a series of posts about my experience of the Defend our Juries (DoJ) 'Lift the Ban' campaign. See my Lift the Ban page for more.

Things haven't got any better. There is supposedly a ceasefire in Gaza but the killing of Palestinians continues almost daily. Alongside the assault in Lebanon and the hostilities with Iran, Israel continues its policy of ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the West Bank. World opinion seems less and less sympathetic to Israel, and more and more commentators and politicians in the UK are condemning what they are doing, but that doesn't lead to real pressure on Israel. They were even allowed to participate in Eurovision (unlike Russia) and their football teams are still welcome in international matches (again, unlike Russia). But more importantly Britain continues to allow arms exports to Israel.

Palestine Action remains proscribed (despite the Judicial Review saying the proscription was unlawful), and brave and idealistic young people have spent months in prison before even coming to trial. Some of them eventually found not guilty: more than 18 months in prison and not guilty of anything! 

So on 11th April 2026 I participated in the DoJ 'Everyone Day' action. After the Judicial Review judgement the Met Police initially said they wouldn't make any more arrests pending the outcome of the Home Secretary's appeal of the Judicial Review, so originally DoJ thought we wouldn't be arrested on Everyone Day - but the Met changed their minds and we were 😒.

I sat in Trafalgar Square and on the stroke of 1pm, wrote on a placard "I oppose Genocide. I support Palestine Action". I was duly arrested, put in a police van (a 'Pixie': no-one seems to know why they are called that!) and taken to the triage point. Then, because I again managed to remain anonymous (so they couldn't give me Street Bail) was taken to a police station for processing. This time it was Peckham.

There isn't a lot more to say about it really. I could do some comparisons between Kentish Town and Peckham (perhaps I should put them up on Trip Advisor)! The cell was cleaner in Kentish Town, in Peckham they didn't take the staples out of my London Review of Books, they phoned the solicitors for me quite quickly in Peckham (they didn't at all in Kentish Town) but were very slow in letting me make my own phone call, so it was a long time before Joy knew where I was. They didn't have the computer problems in Peckham that they'd had in Kentish Town so I was locked-up much sooner and released quite a bit earlier, allowing me to get to Euston before the last train home. 

 

Thanking God (or not)

The theme of the Lent study group that I've been participating in had the theme of 'Saying thank you to Jesus' this week. It looked at this passge from Luke 17 (vs 11-19, NRSV):

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

I don't really know what we are suppose to learn from this passage. It reads to me like a story very specifically addressed to (criticising) his Jewish audience (hence the reference to 'this foreigner') and when I encounter things like that in the bible I try to see how they would translate to Christians (that works well for the parable of the 'Good Samaritan' for example), but I don't really get it for this story.

So, here's my problems with thanking God or Jesus. 

In an interview a while back I heard the Revd. Luke Larner talk about some of the issues he has with a certain sort of evangelical Christian, and as an example he made reference to Christians thanking God for helping them get a parking-place at the supermarket. I remember that sort of thing from my days in 'Christian Union' groups when I was an undergraduate at Oxford. Someone gets lucky on a visit to a busy supermarket because a spot comes free as they arrive, so they give thanks to God/Jesus. (OK when I was an undergraduate it wasn't about parking cars - none of us had cars - but you get the idea.) We can laugh at that, but there's something quite insidious if, as is often the implication, if not explicit, that they see it as God singling them out for help because they are a Christian. It feeds into the 'chosen people' narrative. That we Christians are God' s chosen people (replacing the Jews). This idea of Christians being God's "Chosen People" comes up quite explicitly sometimes, and it is used to make Christian communities feel good about themselves. The trouble is that if you have chosen people by definition you have people that have not been chosen. God gave you that parking space rather than someone else. To see where that leads look at Zionism (both Jewish Zionism and Christian Zionism) which is used to defend Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. A bit of a stretch from thanking God for finding you a parking space at a supermarket and ethnic cleansing with genocide, you think?  I'm not so sure. It only seems absurd because we are safe and comfortable in England, insulated from the harm we are doing elsewhere on the world, and we can do that thing that we English are especially good at: hypocrisy. 

But there things that I want, feel the need, to give thanks for. There are lots of wonderful things in my life and it is good to appreciate them. For general things like the beauty of the world, for flowers and good weather, which are for everyone. There are also personal things that I'm grateful for, like my own good health and my friends and family. To be thankful, but not thanking God or Jesus for giving them to me, as though they are personal presents like the birthday presents from family members.

I would say, BTW, with a SoF hat on, that the need to give thanks is one of the purposes for creating God. We feel delight in the world and want a something/somebody to give thanks to - as well as something/somebody to blame for the bad things in the world. But that is whole other discussion for another time.

Coming back to the bible passage. Being healed from leprosy is clearly on a different scale from getting a parking space at a supermarket, but it is in the same category in the sense that if you are healed and someone else isn't, then it might seem that you have been 'chosen', or even 'deserved' to be healed rather than that other person. So I'm still struggling with knowing what, if anything, I should take away these verses, and for the moment don't have a lot of use for them.