Citizens waving Palestine’s flag risk arrest in UK – Official
Authorities in the UK have ordered the police to clamp down on anyone found waving a Palestine flag or singing a chant advocating freedom for Arabs in the region.
UK’s home secretary Suella Braverman wrote to senior police officers in England and Wales, urging them to clamp down on anyone who defies the order or any attempts to use flags, songs or swastikas to harass or intimidate members of the Jewish community.
Braverman describes Hamas as a proscribed organisation that shouldn’t be shown any public support.
“It is not just explicit pro-Hamas symbols and chants that are cause for concern. I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated section 5 public order offence, ” she said.
“I would encourage police to give similar consideration to the presence of symbols such as swastikas at anti-Israel demonstrations. Context is crucial. Behaviours that are legitimate in some circumstances, for example the waving of a Palestinian flag, may not be legitimate such as when intended to glorify acts of terrorism.
“Nor is it acceptable to drive through Jewish neighbourhoods, or single out Jewish members of the public, to aggressively chant or wave pro-Palestinian symbols at. Where harassment is identified, I would encourage the police to take swift and appropriate enforcement action.
“I encourage all chief officers to ensure that any protests which could exacerbate community tensions by way of offensive placards, chants, or behaviours that could be construed as incitement or harassment, have a strong police presence to ensure perpetrators are appropriately dealt with, and that communities feel protected,” she wrote.
