On 20 November, the Defend SOAS 2 campaign held a protest outside the Supreme Court in London, with the support of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! as an appeal was being heard over the use of free speech as a defence in cases brought against Palestine activists under Britain’s repressive Terrorism Act. Speakers included: Sarah, of the SOAS 2, who faces a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison under Section 12 of the Act, simply for speaking out in defence of the internationally recognised right of an oppressed people to take up arms against their oppressors, the Revolutionary Communist Group, comrades from CAGE International, Movement for Justice, Fiona Maclean, the lead defendant from the Defend Our Juries protests against the proscription of Palestine Action and Pedro Blattman, who was among the five arrested for disrupting a Gal Gadot film shoot and who have recently had their charges dropped. Comrades highlighted the need to repeal the Terrorism Act 2000 in its entirety as a ruling class tool which has always been used to repress solidarity with anti-imperialist struggles not only in Palestine but also in Kurdistan, Kashmir and the Basque Country.

The outcome of this case will have important repercussions not only for the SOAS 2 and others charged under Section 12, such as Kwabena Devonish but for all those facing state repression today for their principled solidarity with the Palestine struggle for self-determination and against British complicity with Zionist genocide. A judgment is expected early next year. Join us to keep organising to defend the right to defend Palestine!