Palestinian Solidarity in Britain Subject to Systematic Repression, Advocacy Group Reports
A comprehensive new report has revealed that Palestinian solidarity in Britain is being systematically silenced, criminalised, and sanctioned, with more than 900 documented incidents of repression over the past six years. The findings, compiled by the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) in collaboration with the research group Forensic Architecture, present a stark picture of the challenges faced by activists and supporters across the country.
Index of Repression Details Widespread Targeting
The so-called index of repression catalogues a range of severe consequences for individuals involved in Palestinian advocacy. According to the report, people have been subjected to smears, disinformation, harassment, and doxing, where private information is maliciously published online. More drastic measures include visa cancellations, financial blacklisting, loss of employment, and even arrests. These actions are often justified by allegations of antisemitism or support for terrorism, creating a chilling effect on free speech and activism.
Main Actors and Targets of Repression Identified
The ELSC report identifies the primary actors of repression as police forces, with 220 incidents recorded, followed closely by educational institutions at 192 incidents. Pro-Israel advocacy groups, along with journalists and other media actors, each account for 141 incidents. At a press conference, Bob Trafford of Forensic Architecture described the system as organic, multipolar, self-reinforcing, and mutually exacerbating, designed to raise the personal cost for individuals acting on conscience and reduce civil society's ability to call out genocide.
Students, academics, and teachers are the most frequently targeted group, appearing in 336 incidents on the index. Activists and organisers follow with 229 incidents, while artists and cultural workers face event cancellations and other forms of repression in 71 cases. The report highlights how these groups are often targeted in varied and overlapping ways, stifling dissent across multiple sectors.
Personal Stories Illustrate the Human Cost
The press conference featured testimony from Sajja Iqbal, a teacher and member of the Redbridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who lost her job after participating in a protest at a local Sainsbury's. During the action, she removed Israeli goods from shelves, placed them in a shopping trolley covered with a Palestinian flag, and delivered a letter to the store manager calling for a boycott. Iqbal reported that her name and school were widely publicised in the press, severely impacting her physical and mental health. This is what they do to silence me and all the workers that speak out, she stated, emphasising that she had not committed any criminal offence but merely exercised her democratic right. She now plans to take legal action with ELSC's assistance.
Methodology and Broader Implications
Tara Mariwany, senior monitoring officer at ELSC, clarified that the group's role is not to judge the validity of allegations such as antisemitism but to document their occurrence and scale. It's simply about showing the scale of it and that should give enough of a cause to question the allegation itself, she explained. The report does not individually assess each case but aggregates data to reveal patterns of repression. This documentation aims to spark broader questioning of how allegations are used to suppress advocacy and highlight the need for protective measures for activists in Britain.
