Massive Attack celebrate High Court verdict on Palestine Action: “Free Palestine”
Massive Attack have responded after senior judges ruled that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful.
Last year, the Home Office banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws. Despite today’s ruling, there remain 2,500 people who are still potentially facing legal proceedings for their support of the organisation, as the government plans to appeal the decision.
Following the High Court’s ruling, Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori said it was a “monumental victory for both our freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people”, as well as stating the ban was “always about appeasing pro-Israel lobby groups and weapons manufacturers, and nothing to do with terrorism.”
The Metropolitan Police have also confirmed that they will immediately stop arresting people for expressing support for Palestine Action.
After the decision was made at the High Court, Massive Attack, who have been one of the biggest pro-Palestine voices in music, wrote on Instagram Stories, “Keir Starmer’s government wanted to punish those who made their complicity in a genocide visible.”
Their statement continued, “They confected an authoritarian law to retaliate against peaceful citizens holding signs. They wanted to brand those people ‘terrorists’. Just like the court of public opinion, the High Court has now found that unlawful.”
Massive Attack then offered their “respect and love” to every person who has “risked their liberty to resist genocide” for Palestine Action. They also said that people were arrested “for nothing more than their peaceful conscience.”
They passionately continued, “In the case of the Filton 24, the highest price has been paid by those on the receiving end of this government’s vindictive guilt.”
Massive Attack concluded by claiming, “Under any authoritarian government, bad laws are there to be broken. Free Palestine.”
After 500 supporters of Palestine Action were arrested in London last August, Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja said of Keir Starmer, “A human rights lawyer turned authoritarian; who now lunges at opinions that expose the moral vacuum of his ugly, unrecognisable government.”
Additionally, in September, Massive Attack pledged their support for the ‘No Music For Genocide’ campaign, along with more than 1,000 other artists, who geo-blocked their music from streaming services in Israel.
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