Palestine Action has revealed that the Labour government’s attorney general, Richard Hermer, personally signed off on the terrorism charges the state is bringing against the group’s co-founder Richard Barnard.
Palestine Action: terror charges signed off by Labour government
Barnard, Palestine Action co-founder, appeared for a plea hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday 18 September. It was over three charges relating to two speeches.
After the hearing, Palestine Action revealed that Labour’s attorney general Hermer approved the charges against Barnard:
At Richard Barnard's court hearing, the prosecution confirmed that Labour's Attorney General consented to the terrorism charge.
Palestine Action's co-founder will next appear at court on October 4th at the Old Bailey, London. pic.twitter.com/u6qDqSL2LU
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 18, 2024
Cops first arrested Barnard for the accusations he has been charged on 9 November 2023.
This was four days before he was due to begin trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court as part of Palestine Action’s ‘Elbit Eight’. During that trial, the state accused him of several offences. The court acquitted him of three of them, including a charge of encouraging criminal damage.
Authorities previously stopped him under Schedule 7 counter-terrorism powers in November 2020 alongside fellow activist Huda Ammori.
Charges
Palestine Action co-founder Barnard’s charges this time were first authorised by director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson. However, for the terror-related charges, the government had to intervene. They are as follows:
- On 8 October 2023 Richard Loxton Barnard did an act capable of encouraging the commission of an offence, namely criminal damage, and intended to encourage its commission contrary to section 44 Serious Crime Act 2007.
- On 8 October 2023, Richard Loxton Barnard expressed an opinion or belief that was supportive of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, being reckless as to whether it encouraged support of that organisation contrary to section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000.
- On 11 October 2023 Richard Loxton Barnard did an act capable of encouraging the commission of an offence, namely criminal damage, and intended to encourage its commission contrary to section 44 Serious Crime Act 2007.
His charges relate to speeches during a Manchester protest on 8 October and in Bradford on 11 October. The decision to charge came after 10 activists from Palestine Action were detained without charge for seven days under the Terrorism Act, following an action which cost Israel’s biggest weapons producer, Elbit Systems, over £1million in damages.
‘We will not stop’
Outside court, Palestine Action co-founder Ammori said that both her and Barnard had previously been acquitted of the same charge last year by a jury. She said:
It’s a very vindictive charge. It’s one that has been spurred on by a Zionist campaign, an adoption campaign against Richard and Palestine Action. But I also want to remind everyone that we have 16 political prisoners.
16 people from Palestine Action are in prison for trying to stop a genocide. The Filton Ten were held under the Terrorism Act and interrogated day after day, whilst being held in solitary confinement in this country for taking action against Elbit Systems.
They are wielding counter-terrorism powers in a bid to protect Israel’s weapons trade. And they are doing it because they know Palestine Action is a threat to the companies arming genocide.
But Palestine Action will not stop. We will not give in. We will not surrender. And Elbit’s days in this country are numbered. And this trial and this prosecution proves that.
Palestine Action co-founder speaks out against the state's attempt to intimidate our movement pic.twitter.com/qA5ofmMp7G
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 18, 2024
Palestine Action’s co-founder Barnard will next appear at court on 4 October at the Old Bailey, London.
Featured image via Palestine Action and the Canary
