Lift the Ban: Arrested for the sixth time. 31st Oct. 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.

325 of us were arrested outside the US Embassy. I was arrested at 9:15pm after sitting holding my placard for more than 8 hours. For the first time, I refused to walk and made the police carry me (which is what DoJ prefer us to do because it requires 6 police officers, but I've not had the courage to do it before), but by that time it was dark and most of the photographers had gone, so I don't think there is any photographic evidence of me being carried! 

 

That's me in the top right hand corner of the picture!
(Photo I think is copyright Clara Margotin)

 

I was taken to Peckham Police Station where we had the usual business of queueing outside, each one of us miscreants with our arresting officer, before they were able to deal with us. Once again I've no complaints about how I was treated, and my arresting officer was humane enough. I chatted a bit with him, and encouraged him to seek out the film NAZA as a way of understanding better where we are coming from.

 

The wait was even longer than I've had before (the police said it was because it was Halloween and they had a lot of trouble to deal with) so I'd arrived at the police station at about 10:15 but didn't get in until about 2 am. They went through all of the processes (which seem to be a bit different each time) including mug shots and fingerprints. They don''t repeat the DNA sample which of course doesn't change, but apparently they need to get up-to-date fingerprints each time because wear and tear on your hands can change them. For some reason which no one can explain the machine always has trouble with my fingerprints. It 'beeps' and complains the quality isn't good enough. At first I assumed everyone would be having the same problem but this time the operator said it was just some individuals. 

 

I think I spent about an hour and half in the cell, during which time they gave me some food (a vegan pasta dish) and I was finally released on bail at about 5:30 on Sunday morning. The brilliant DoJ Police Station Support volunteers had heroically stayed there still, and were able to explain how to get to Euston station. A fellow arrestee was going in the same direction, to get to Berkhamsted, so we travelled together. I finally got home 9.10 am, so I'd been out for 24 hours with just about 30 minutes sleep in the police cell.  

 

Quite a gruelling day with many, many hours waiting around. But most of the time with fellow protestors who are, without exception (in my experience), good and interesting people.

 

Among the absolute legends arrested were 94 year-old human-rights lawyer and friend of the Miliband family, Margaret Owen, and serial arrestee 84 year old Reverend Sue Parfitt. I didn't get to meet either of them, though Sue Parfitt was also taken to Peckham police station. (Just to say, by the way, WTAF are they doing arresting those two! I mean, a 94 year-old human-rights lawyer FFS!)

 

(Talking of the Miliband family, I made use of all the time waiting around to continue my reading of Ralph Miliband's classic text "The State in Capitalist Society".)

 

It was another monumental waste of police resources, and the police know it but they are 'just doing their job'. 

 

One final reflection. Pretty much without exception (OK, no, I am aware of at least one exception) all my friends and acquaintances that know about my arrests are supportive. Think about this. My circle are, or were, all pretty law-abiding types, as I was. Yet they are now cheering me on as I get arrested. They're not saying "whoa, you're breaking the law", they're saying "well done". This government, this Labour Government, has brought the law into disrepute. The law is defending the morally indefensible: genocide. The government really needs to think very carefully about that.