Angie Zelter, a prominent activist, was arrested during a London march advocating for Palestinian rights, sparking discussions on protest rights.
London: During a recent march in London, Angie Zelter, a well-known activist from Powys, was arrested. The event was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and drew thousands of participants.
At 73, Zelter was charged with a public order offense, along with 11 others, including Piers Corbyn, who is 77 and the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Many attendees, including members of Radnor Palestine Links, voiced their demands for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank, emphasizing that peace and justice for Palestinians depend on it.
However, the police had imposed restrictions, preventing the march from approaching BBC headquarters. Instead, they were only allowed to hold a static protest at Whitehall.
A spokesperson for the group explained that the police’s reasoning was to avoid upsetting Jewish individuals celebrating the Sabbath, as the BBC is close to a local synagogue.
Interestingly, other demonstrations were not banned, and some peaceful protesters faced verbal abuse from a small group of counter-protesters waving Union Jacks.
Those who approached the BBC were quickly told to move or faced arrest. Zelter, who has a history of anti-war activism, was among those detained.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the death toll since October 7 last year reaching around 47,000.
Kate McClean, another RPL member, stressed that these marches are not about hate but about bringing people together in peace to express concern for human rights.
She highlighted the devastation in Gaza, where homes are destroyed, hospitals are non-functional, and families have been wiped out.
McClean urged the government to uphold its international obligations and not be complicit in what she described as genocide.
The Metropolitan Police stated that conditions were set to consider the impact of ongoing protests on Jewish Londoners, especially on Saturdays.
Despite agreeing to a static protest, officers noted attempts to breach these conditions, leading to the arrests.
Commander Adam Slonecki mentioned that they are reviewing footage to identify further criminal activity and potential arrests.
Fortunately, no officers were seriously injured, although three were spat at, and one was physically assaulted.
After the arrests, 25 individuals were bailed, while 48 remained in custody.
