Portsmouth-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign activist Linda Spence was shocked to be arrested last week for opposing a genocide in which up to 186,000 people have been killed. Here’s what happened in her words.
I’m not naive, but I never thought I’d be targeted by the oppressive UK police response to the Gaza protests, which has involved raiding the homes of journalists, detaining a disabled student and arresting activists for as little as carrying placards.
I was attending a regular protest at the Portsmouth branch of Barclays, where we’ve been demanding the bank divest from companies supplying arms to Israel. The words ‘Barclays = Genocide’ were written in removable chalk paint on the bank’s window. The police arrived and removed most of the letters with a tissue. Meanwhile, a man approached them and said that he was Jewish and that he was offended by the word ‘genocide’. He claimed that two people, including me, wrote the words. The police arrested us, citing section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986:
‘intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress using threatening, abusive or insulting words, disorderly behaviour, any writing, signs or other visible representation’
I haven’t yet been charged, only bailed with the possibility of a charge. Like most of us, I don’t ever intend to offend, but the reality is we’re all going to feel offended about something, probably several times a week. This man chose to weaponise his feelings about some easily removable lettering merely to silence us. I’m offended that he can do that, that he can feel (apparently) upset at words… but not at the genocide happening in Gaza right now.
I could wallow in the humiliation of being filmed by strangers as I was carted off to the police van. I could shrink at the violation of my search or ruminate on my as yet unknown fate. But I’m just so proud to stand up for Palestine and against the forces of capital and the state. From the overwhelming weight of solidarity messages I’ve received, my community is also proud of me.
Genocide is a foul and indefensible strategy of colonial oppression and, whether levied at Jewish people, Palestinians, Rwandans or Sudanese, I will not be silenced from speaking against it.
Never again for everyone! Free Palestine!
Picture entitled ‘Gaza_envelope_after_coordinated_surprise_offensive_on_Israel,_October_2023_(KBG_GPO05)’ used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
