MORE DEFIANT VIDEOS

Following 5 raids from 72 videos so far, the videos are coming in quicker than ever.

WARNING - Expressing support for Palestine Action is a breach of the UK Terrorism Act. This comes with significant risk of arrest and prosecution.

ANOTHER🧵

Here’s Nina: Hundreds are signing up to escalate. Why? Because Palestine Action is not a terrorist organisation. Saving lives is not terrorism.

If you’re inspired to replicate this action, before doing so; go to and read our Action Briefing Document.

Here’s Mike: wedonotcomply.org

BIAS

The same judge who is likely to sentence four young people as “terrorists” (even though they were not convicted of a terrorism offence) previously reduced violent far-right racist Tommy Robinson’s prison sentence, overriding an earlier High Court decision!

Short thread 🧵 May ‘25, Judge Johnson said violent racist Tommy Robinson displayed an “absence of contrition or remorse” after being imprisoned for contempt of court.

Syrian refugee, Jamal Hijazi, had sued Robinson for libel after serious false allegations.

Johnson released Robinson early.

BREAKING

A NEW report that examines the rise of Political Prisoners in Britain has now been published in full.

“It is a wake up call to the authorities to change course and pursue a more proportionate response.”

🧵 for details Since 2019, British courts have increasingly used remand detention, contempt proceedings and lengthy custodial sentences against climate and Palestine activists.

The report, Britain’s Political Prisoners, was co-published by researchers at @ccccjustice and Defend Our Juries.

BREAKING

Following an attempt by Mr Justice Johnson to prosecute Palestine Action barrister for “contempt of court” after his closing speech mentioned the legal principle known as
“jury Equity”, Rajiv Menon has won his appeal.

A short🧵 If a jury decides that the person who stands accused of a crime made the morally correct choice in their actions, the jury can find them “not-guilty”, even if the evidence shows that they did carry out the actions they are on trial for

This has been a legal principle since 1670.

BREAKING

Mixed verdicts in the retrial of the first six Filton 24 defendants 🧵 The jury found that Sam had not intended to cause any harm, acquitting on the “with intent” charge, instead choosing to convict on Grievous Bodily Harm without intent.

This is a much lower offence, and forces the courts & the government to accept the truth of no violent intent.

How it went down today - a photo 🧵

At 1pm in Trafalgar Square, hundreds of peaceful protestors sat together silently and wrote “I oppose genocide - I support Palestine Action” to defy the unlawful ban on Palestine Action, and to oppose UK complicity in Israel’s genocide. The first arrest.

Shortly after 1pm, the Metropolitan Police came through on their embarrassing U-turn, having previously said they would not make arrests, by further embarrassing themselves.

They arrested this lovely pensioner for holding a piece of cardboard.

THE MET POLICE ARE LYING

1. It was a public entrance, open gates, no guards, no signs, nothing to suggest the public cannot enter.

Nobody was seen asking protesters to leave.

This 🧵 counters the police’s ridiculous attempt to justify arresting 85 peaceful protestors.

https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk/status/2015336672037097747

2. No protestor attempted to go beyond the public lobby, everyone left after dog handlers opened an internal security door which nobody had tried to pass through

Prison staff just stood there looking totally unbothered. They know the protesters are peaceful and nonviolent.

2/🧵

BREAKING: COURT OF APPEAL ERODES INDEPENDENCE OF JURIES

The Court of Appeal has substantially eroded the independence of juries, a centuries-old democratic safeguard against the abuse of power, by ruling in favour of a judge who threatened a jury with criminal proceedings.

1/4 Judge Silas Reid had warned the jury:

“It is only on the evidence you are able to try the case and not on conscience … It is a criminal offence for a juror to do anything from which it can be concluded that a decision will be made on anything other than the evidence.”

2/4

BREAKING: Major Insurers drop Elbit Systems

Following a sustained direct action campaign, initiated by Palestine Action before the group was proscribed, Allianz and Aviva no longer insure Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.

Direct Action gets results. 🧵1/4 The direct action campaign against Allianz began in October 2024 when Palestine Action targeted 10 of their offices in a single day, demanding the firm stop insuring Elbit Systems.

This was followed by dozens of actions against the insurance giant across Britain and Europe. 2/4

JUDGE SILAS REID APPEAL

Defend Our Juries sign-holders have today visited the Royal Courts of Justice in support of five appellants found guilty of criminal damage after their trial was manipulated by a rogue judge who is accused of misleading the jury. Judge Silas Reid, a judge renowned for his biased opposition to protestors, told jurors in March 2024 that they do not have a right to acquit defendants according to their conscience. This was patently false and incredibly misleading.

BREAKING 🚨

MET ‘PROUD’ THAT ANOTHER 60 OF 700 ‘FACE PROSECUTION’

Today the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has said he is ‘proud’ that a further 60 of 700 peaceful protestors will be prosecuted under the Terrorism Act.

Our response in this thread🧵 The Met Chief, Sir Mark Rowley, says he is ‘proud’ that of the 700 protestors arrested for holding signs since 5 July people, 60 have now been charged.

What exactly is he proud about?

BREAKING

Defend Our Juries website taken down as attack on freedom of speech worsens - blocking access to important legal info for protestors.

This is what happens when the Government uses anti-terror law to silence dissent.

<— legal info here instead! wedonotcomply.org It appears that the web hosts for our campaign website have been contacted to suggest that we may be in breach of their T&Cs

There’s no breach - we’ve checked.

The impact of this is that 1000s of people are blocked from legal information to ensure their legal rights are upheld!

Who are “Defend Our Juries”?

People have been visiting courts across England & Wales for two years now to remind the public of the right for jurors to find a defendant “not guilty” based on their conscience (Jury Equity)

Good people such as this group in Cambridge yesterday
1/4 So what does all this have to do with the recent proscribing of direct action groups?!

There is a clear and concerted attack on the right to fair trials in the UK - particularly relating to freedoms to oppose crimes against humanity.

More:
2/4 defendourjuries.org

It’s #WorldScienceDay Today!🧵

It couldn’t be more timely, as science is being banned from UK courtrooms.

Peaceful activists in the UK have been imprisoned for referring to the science of Climate Change as part of their defence in UK courts:

theguardian.com/environment/20… Currently, there are dozens of peaceful prisoners in the UK whose alleged crime intended to highlight the existential threat of Climate Change.

Many of them were given no defence in law, meaning jurors were asked to ignore their reason for taking action:

thecanary.co/uk/news/2024/0…

A letter from the #WholeTruthFive to everyone who has been outraged by their sentencing.

This letter has been collaboratively penned and approved by the five from their cells as they carry out record sentences for their involvement in peaceful protest in the UK.

Part 1 of 3. Part 2 of the letter from the #WholeTruthFive to everyone who has been outraged by their sentencing. #FreePoliticalPrisoners

Support them here: rebelsinprison.uk/rebels/

Today, campaigners hand-delivered a petition to Attorney General Richard Hermer KC, at the Ministry of Justice.

Signed by over 60K people, the petition calls for an end to the imprisonment of peaceful protesters, including the #WholeTruthFive

1/4 With the petition is a letter from Defend Our Juries renewing the call for a public meeting to discuss the Government’s violations of international law.

Should that demand not be met, We promise an escalation of action, beginning Sept 27.

Full PR:


2/4 defendourjuries.org/press-releases…

TODAY - Groups of signholders are at courts across England & Wales in support of the 26 political prisoners currently locked up in British jails for demanding climate action.

The callout is for the Attorney General to meet with @ChrisGPackham & others to discuss the issue. 1/6 This action is in response to longest sentences passed on peaceful protestors in living memory, and 26 nonviolent people of conscience locked up in UK prisons.

Some imprisoned for as much as 5years for involvement in peaceful activism.

More here: 2/6 defendourjuries.org/press-releases

THE SMASHED WINDOW DILEMMA

A person smashes a car window, causing the car alarm to go off and creating a public scene. The police quickly arrive and arrest the person.

During the arrest, the person tries to explain their motive for breaking the window. 🧵 1/9 The police officer handcuffs the now arrestee and tells them that they were spotted by multiple witnesses breaking the window and they will have to take their explanation to the investigating officer during interview.

In the meantime, they’ll be taken to a holding cell. 2/9

BREAKING: The High Court has this morning dismissed the application of Robert Courts MP, the Solicitor General, to imprison Trudi Warner, a 69 year-old retired social worker, for holding a sign outside Inner London Crown Court in 2023.

Full press release: shorturl.at/ortKY
To all those who risked the same ordeal Trudi has gone through over the past year, well done. You are really helping to #DefendOurJuries

The attack on jury trials is not over. There are still some courts refusing defendants their right to tell the WHOLE truth.

But today, a win.