Three pro-Palestine protesters have become the first to be charged with racial hatred for allegedly chanting “intifada” at a demonstration in December, GB News understands.
The Metropolitan Police announced the charges on Monday.
Abdallah Alanzi, 24, Haya Adam, 21 and Azza Zaki, 60, were charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour intending thereby to stir up racial hatred.
Mr Alanzi, Mr Adam and Mr Zaki were arrested at a protest outside the Ministry of Justice in Petty France, Westminster on the evening of December 17 after they were identified as being allegedly involved in chanting calling for an “intifada”.
They will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on February 23.
Charges were sought after the Met’s Public Order Crime team investigated not just that specific chant but other shouts heard during the course of the protest.
The force said that the charges that had been authorised reflected the totality of the alleged offending on that evening.
To that end, they added that no further action will be taken against a 17-year-old boy who was arrested on the same night.
Three pro-Palestine protesters have been charged after calling for ‘intifada’ in first of its kind prosecution
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GETTYIntifada refers to the Palestinian uprising against Israel inthe West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The first intifada lasted from 1987 to 1993, and the second began in 2000 and was characterised by suicide bombings, shootings, and stabbings, killing over 1,000 Israelis, many of them civilians.
The term becomes especially contentious when used in slogans like “globalise the intifada,” which many interpret as a call to export violence beyond the Middle East, rather than peaceful activism.
In December last year, it was announced that the phrase “globalise the intifada” had been banned from all protests in London and Manchester.
Pro-Palestine protesters arrested in London after holding ‘placards expressing support for Palestine Action’ | PA
In a joint statement, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, and the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Stephen Watson, said the Jewish community was “worried and scared” and that increased anti-Jewish crime had had a significant impact on Jewish life.
“No community should have to live like this. That must change,” they said.
Citing the high number of terrorist attacks disrupted in recent years, as well as two recent attacks, the pair said the situation required an “enhanced response” to antisemitism.
Acknowledging that “current laws are inadequate”, the police leaders pointed to the Home Secretary’s request for Lord Ken Macdonald KC to conduct a review of public order and hate crime legislation.
“The words and chants used, especially in protests, matter and have real-world consequences.
“We have consistently been advised by the CPS that many of the phrases causing fear in Jewish communities don’t meet prosecution thresholds. Now, in the escalating threat context, we will recalibrate to be more assertive,” Sir Mark and Chief Constable Watson said.
Monday’s charges come just days after Pro-Palestine protesters were filmed chanting “globalise the intifada” at a demonstration in Kent where they clashed with police.
Members of Thanet 4 Palestine were among those blockading a British arms manufacturer and scuffled with officers, leading to an arrest.
Protesters clashed with police and chanted ’Intifada’ at a Kent protest
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X: HEIDI BACHRAM
Police said a man had been detained at the rally, where reports of fireworks being thrown were made.
The targeted facility, Instro Precision, operates as a subsidiary of the Elbit Systems Group, one of Israel’s largest weapons manufacturers.
Thanet 4 Palestine promoted the demonstration through its Facebook page, encouraging supporters to express their objection to Instro maintaining operations within the county.
The group claims the facility is complicit in contributing to Israeli military operations in Gaza.