Long-time activist Peter Tatchell was arrested at the London ‘pro-Palestine’ demonstration on Saturday, May 17th. Video footage shows him shouting ‘free Palestine’ as he is escorted away by police and placed in the back of a van. Demonstrators say he has done nothing wrong and should be set free.
Observers of the regular ‘hate marches’ through London and other British cities could be surprised that anyone ever actually gets arrested. Time and again the authorities are accused of ‘two-tier policing’ which gives all ‘pro-Palestine’ marchers an easy ride, including those seeking out Jews to confront and those carrying placards in support of proscribed organisations. These are the people Tatchell has chosen to march alongside.
However, last weekend turned out differently. Tatchell’s signature style includes complex, homemade placards setting out his various demands. This time he went with the fashionable “Stop Israeli Genocide” and “Stop Hamas Executions.” Tatchell, right 50% of the time here, waved a placard highlighting the case of Odai Al-Rubai, 22, who was executed by Hamas for his role in recent protests against the terror group.
This proved too much for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign stewards, who are usually led by Chief steward Chris Nineham, 62—formerly of Westminster School and Clare College Cambridge and son of Reverend Professor Dennis Nineham, the Warden of Keble College.
Tatchell was promptly arrested. Once again, it turns out that telling the truth about Gaza is the quickest way to get arrested on a march for Palestine.
