Two remand prisoners waiting to go on trial for alleged offences relating to Palestine Action have ended a hunger strike protest – but five more are said to be continuing to refuse food.
The detainees, in various prisons, have made a series of demands including calling for the ban on Palestine Action to be lifted and for a defence firm with links to Israel to be shut down.
The two longest-protesting detainees have been refusing food for 45 days according to supporters – a claim that has not been disputed by officials.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer said “rules and procedures” were being followed in relation to the hunger strike.
Lawyers for the group have repeatedly written to Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy asking for a meeting, saying there was a “real and increasingly likely potential” that their clients would die as a result of their protest.
Fifty-one MPs and peers have also written to Lammy asking him to meet the lawyers.
The protests, which began in November, involve people who have all been charged with offences relating to alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of Palestine Action, charges that are denied.
The alleged incidents all occurred before Palestine Action was banned under terrorism legislation – but their trials are not taking place before next year.
Supporters of the detainees confirmed to News on Wednesday that Jon Cink and Umer Khalid had both ended their hunger strike after 41 days and 13 days respectively.
Qesser Zuhrah and Amy Gardiner-Gibson are said to have each been refusing food for 45 days. Heba Muraisi began her protest a day later. Teuta Hoxha is said to have refused for 38 days and Kamran Ahmed 37 days.
An eighth prisoner is described by supporters of intermittently joining the protest but then breaking it, due to an underlying health condition.
Some of the group have had periods in hospital – but in each case they have been discharged or have self-discharged.
On Wednesday, an ambulance arrived at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey – and video posted on social media shows scuffles between protesters and police.
The vehicle later left – but a spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service would not comment on whether it had transported a protester to hospital.
During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said to Sir Keir that ministers had declined to meet the protesters’ representatives and one of the group had been taken to hospital.
“Many people are very concerned by the regular breaches of prison conditions and prison rules with respect to these hunger strikes,” he said.
“Will he make arrangements for the Ministry of Justice to meet representatives of the hunger strikers to discuss these breaches of the conditions that they’re experiencing at the present time?”
Sir Keir replied: “He will appreciate there are rules and procedures in place in relation to hunger strikes, and we’re following those rules and procedures.”
On Tuesday, justice minister Jake Richards said in answer to an earlier question from Corbyn that he would not be meeting the group’s lawyers and the Ministry of Justice had “robust and proper guidance and procedures” for such scenarios.
“I am satisfied, and the ministry is satisfied, that those procedures are being enacted and we’ll continue to keep it under review.”