\n<\/p>\n
Good morning. At first glance, you could mistake it for an image of a pair of community cops assisting an elderly woman as she navigates some tricky steps. Only closer examination reveals they are arresting her.<\/p>\n
Yesterday afternoon, 84-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, a retired Anglican priest, and 13 others stepped one by one on to a modest cardboard box outside New Scotland Yard in London, to invite members of the constabulary to join the banned direct action network Palestine Action. That simple invitation, made with tongues firmly in cheeks, resulted in their arrests under section 12 of the Terrorism Act, punishable with up to 14 years\u2019 imprisonment. It was a balmy afternoon and the arresting officers wore shirt sleeves. As a courtesy to the advanced years of some of the protesters, elders were not handcuffed.<\/p>\n
Sunday also marked the year anniversary of the proscription of Palestine Action \u2013 the first direct action protest group to be banned under the Terrorism Act \u2013 and the beginning of one of the largest campaigns of mass civil disobedience in modern British history, led by Defend Our Juries.<\/p>\n
I spoke to our legal affairs correspondent, Haroon Siddique<\/strong><\/em>, who has reported on every twist of this saga, about the campaigners\u2019 escalating tactics, and what it means for our right to protest across the UK.<\/p>\n UK politics <\/strong><\/em>| Questions have been swirling over the Reform leader\u2019s future, after it arose that Nigel Farage did not declare gifts and benefits provided by a crypto entrepreneur convicted of fraud.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n US news <\/strong><\/em>| In a campaign-style speech in Washington DC , Donald Trump hailed the \u201cunmatched achievement and unlimited potential\u201d of the US, in an address marking the country\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n UK politics <\/strong><\/em>| Andy Burnham has been called on to appoint Ed Miliband as chancellor, with his advocates arguing in favour of the energy secretary\u2019s \u201cbold\u201d vision to revive the economy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Egypt <\/strong><\/em>| Archaeologists have uncovered a well-preserved Byzantine-era city in the western desert \u2013 revealing details of daily life, urban development and economic activities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Health news <\/strong><\/em>| The scientist who pioneered the \u201cextreme male brain\u201d theory of autism has said he regrets characterising the condition in this way because the phrase lends itself to misunderstandings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/span>Marji, a retired tax adviser and grandmother to seven, takes action.<\/span> Photograph: Defend Our Juries<\/p>\n Yesterday\u2019s action was part of a significant escalation from the campaign group Defend Our Juries, whose Lift the Ban campaign has already resulted in more than 3,400 arrests of peaceful protesters holding up cardboard signs reading \u201cI oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action\u201d.<\/p>\n But first, a reminder of how we got here. Former home secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced the ban a few days after two members of Palestine Action broke into the RAF\u2019s Brize Norton airbase last June and defaced two military aircraft with spray paint. The group said they \u201cinterrupted Britain\u2019s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East\u201d; the direct action caused \u00a37m damage, according to the Ministry of Defence.<\/p>\n Since then, alongside this civil disobedience campaign, Palestine Action has fought proscription through the courts \u2013 with wins and losses. In February, the high court concluded it was wrong for the government to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, but <\/strong>in June, five appeal judges overturned that decision, ruling that the ban was lawful.<\/p>\n And last month, four Palestine Action activists were given prison sentences of between four and eight years for the 2024 break-in at the Elbit Systems UK, the British subsidiary of Israel\u2019s largest privately owned arms manufacturer, and grievous bodily harm against a police sergeant.<\/p>\n The judge ruled that there was a \u201cterrorist connection\u201d to their offending, but the jury \u2013 who did find them guilty \u2013 were not told this might happen, and that it would probably lengthen the sentence they received.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough it\u2019s permitted under the Sentencing Act, the reason it grabbed so much public attention is the terrorism connection has never been used before in a case about property damage,\u201d says Haroon.<\/p>\n Some may sense a double standard here: <\/strong> during the trial, the judge had ruled the protesters weren\u2019t allowed to explain their motivations to the jury. \u201cBut then when he looked at the terrorism connection, that\u2019s exactly what the judge was doing, by considering their motivations and ideology\u201d.<\/p>\n What does this tell us about the right to protest?<\/strong><\/p>\n Particularly after the Elbit Systems convictions, civil liberties groups warned that the very definition of terrorism is becoming dangerously wide.<\/p>\n While the Terrorism Act does include serious property damage within the definition of what constitutes terrorism, Haroon says, \u201cmost people think of terrorism as violence against people, and the intent to kill people.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, many lawyers argue that the \u201cserious property damage\u201d element was never intended to capture groups like Palestine Action or Greenpeace, but the scenario where a group like the IRA would call in a warning before blowing up a building.<\/p>\n \u201cNow the concern is: what constitutes serious property damage? We\u2019ve seen climate protesters smashing the windows of banks \u2013 where do you draw the line? It could affect direct action by a host of different organisations and potentially be a death knell to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Haroon also points out that, while Labour was happy to oppose restrictions to protest when they were in opposition and the charge was being led by the last Tory government, the party has introduced further limitations since they came to power: including allowing the police to consider the \u201ccumulative impact\u201d of repeated protests to justify restrictions and a new offence of concealing your identity during a protest, all of which contribute to an incremental chilling effect.<\/p>\n And this tightening of anti-protest legislation has human consequences: in May, Haroon highlighted research by Queen Mary University of London which found custodial sentences for direct action or civil disobedience were being imposed with increasing length and frequency, creating \u201ca new breed of political prisoners\u201d.<\/p>\n Perhaps best known are the eight Palestine Action activists who risked their lives on hunger strike in late 2025 in protest at their pre-trial detention conditions as well as the ban: Haroon tells me they are recovering slowly but have lasting symptoms, including memory problems.<\/p>\n How are tactics changing?<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite these recent court losses, yesterday, outside New Scotland Yard, the mood was one of defiance, as Defend Our Juries switched up their tactics again.<\/p>\n Their former strategy of holding cardboard signs could have resulted in six months jail time. Now, the 14 activists asserted their membership of the proscribed group and invited support for it \u2013 offences which must be heard before a jury and, could carry sentences of up to 14 years in prison, under Sections 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act.<\/p>\n Defend Our Juries have also been sharing social media videos of individuals inviting similar charges \u2013 one features 69-year-old Marji, a retired tax adviser and grandmother to seven, who stuck a piece of torn freezer label on her English Heritage membership card and wrote the words Palestine Action on it to make her point.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re daring the authorities to prosecute them under section 11 or 12 as opposed to section 13,\u201d says Haroon, \u201cbecause they might well feel that if it goes to a jury trial, juries will acquit them.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s notable that none of the 48 video-makers have been contacted by the police so far. Haroon wonders whether there is reluctance to put cases like these before a jury. \u201cAt the end of the day, they are inviting support for a group that has a stated aim of preventing war crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, sign holders pleading not guilty \u2013 \u201ca moral position as well as a strategy\u201d says Haroon – is causing the courts, and the government, another headache. More than 3,000 sign holders have been arrested, but only 700 charged. With the ban now upheld, Haroon anticipates others may be charged too, resulting in hundreds more trials \u201cat a time when we know the backlogs in the courts are huge\u201d.<\/p>\n The primary court battle is not over yet: Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, has pledged to challenge the ban in the supreme court, and thereafter the European court of human rights. And an additional domestic challenge will be heard in Scotland later this week, where campaigners hope to win the chance to put forward the argument that the arrest of sign holders violated their human rights.<\/p>\n What comes next?<\/strong><\/p>\n Last month, pro-Palestine campaigners told the Guardian they were hopeful of a \u201csea change\u201d in the Labour party\u2019s approach, resulting in a tougher stance on Israel.<\/p>\n The Labour party, <\/strong>meanwhile, seems to be changing its <\/strong>stance on Israel.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s an argument that groups like Palestine Action, who\u2019ve raised awareness of what\u2019s happening in Gaza and the UK\u2019s involvement in it, are part of what\u2019s caused this shift,\u201d says Haroon.<\/p>\n With an imminent change of Labour leadership, and seven in 10 Labour members agreeing the government was wrong to ban Palestine Action, Andy Burnham\u2019s approach \u2013 and who he picks as home secretary \u2013 will be watched with great interest.<\/p>\n In an interview ahead of his Makerfield victory, Burnham declined to describe the destruction of Gaza as a genocide.<\/p>\n With charges pending, I wasn\u2019t able to speak directly to yesterday\u2019s protesters, but Trudi Warner, a Defend Our Juries observer and veteran anti-corruption campaigner filled me in on the mood at New Scotland Yard.<\/p>\n \u201cThese people were saying clearly \u2018We are not terrorists\u2019. Palestine Action opposes genocide in Gaza \u2013 it takes its moral responsibility seriously. I would encourage the UK government to do likewise.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Burnham has focused on Q&As with the public rather than set-piece interviews since his dramatic return to Westminster, provoking debate about whether he is dodging media scrutiny. We\u2019d like to hear your thoughts, especially if you took part in the Q&As yourselves.<\/p>\n To get in touch hit reply or email first.edition@theguardian.com<\/p>\n Monday<\/strong><\/em> | A landmark allergy safety guidance for schools in England comes into force after campaigning by the family of Benedict Blythe, a five-year-old boy who died after he was wrongly given milk at school.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Tuesday<\/strong><\/em> | The Nato summit in Turkey begins, which will be Keir Starmer\u2019s last international event as UK prime minister.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Thursday<\/strong><\/em> | Nominations open for Labour leadership, where members of the PLP may nominate themselves or another.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Thursday<\/strong><\/em> | The Ethics and Integrity Commission, the UK government\u2019s sleaze watchdog established by Sir Keir Starmer last October, publishes it review of lobbying transparency<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n skip past newsletter promotionFree newsletter | Every weekday<\/p>\n Sign up to First Edition<\/span><\/p>\n Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what\u2019s happening and why it matters<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> Illustration: Neil Jamieson\/The Guardian<\/p>\n No badge? No problem. I enjoyed this thoughtful excavation of the TV mystery<\/strong> trope about the outsider who outsmarts the professionals. Libby<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n I adored Polly Hudson this weekend, on taking pride in being a grudge holder<\/strong>. Don\u2019t mind if I do! Poppy<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n We\u2019ve made a hard-hitting film about the families who are determined to use Mexico\u2019s hosting of the World Cup<\/strong> to expose the country\u2019s cartel crisis which has led to the kidnapping of tens of thousands of citizens. Libby<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/span>Harry Kane celebrates with Jude Bellingham after converting a penalty for his team\u2019s third goal.<\/span> Photograph: Charlotte Wilson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n On the pitch<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Mexico v England<\/strong> <\/strong><\/em>| Jarell Quansah saw red and Harry Kane scored and conceded penalties after Jude Bellingham\u2019s double as England beat Mexico 3-2 in an extraordinary game.<\/p>\n Brazil v Norway<\/strong> <\/strong><\/em>| Erling Haaland scored twice in the final 10 minutes, stunning Brazil with a 2-1 win and sending Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.<\/p>\n Last 16 <\/strong>| Canada got knocked out of the competition on Sunday, with their coach bizarrely claiming they \u201ccontrolled the match\u201d, in a game that ended Morocco 3-0 Canada<\/strong>. Morocco will meet France in the quarter-finals after Mbapp\u00e9\u2019s side played \u201cdirty football\u201d with a final score of France 1-0 Paraguay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Off the pitch<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n England <\/strong>| \u200bA look back at the England men\u2019s team\u2019s matches in the iconic Azteca Stadium.<\/p>\n USA<\/strong> <\/strong><\/em>| While it invites players from all over the world to the competition, there was a worrying rising tide of overt racism over the Fourth of July weekend.<\/p>\n World Cup Daily podcast <\/strong>| Want to digest the England result in good company? Max and Barry are hard at work throughout the tournament producing an episode of the Guardian\u2019s football podcast every day. Listen to the latest episode here.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s Fixtures<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Portugal v Spain, 8pm on BBC One<\/em><\/p>\n USA v Belgium 1am on BBC One<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span>Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates winning match point against Aryna Sabalenka.<\/span> Photograph: Daniel Kopatsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Tennis <\/strong><\/em>| The No 1 seed, Aryna Sabalenka, was knocked out of Wimbledon in round four by an inspired Naomi Osaka, with the Japanese No 14 seed blazing to a 6-2, 7-6 (2) win.<\/p>\n Cycling<\/strong> | Charles Leclerc won at Silverstone, with George Russell second and Lewis Hamilton third after a late safety car, while a fault left Kimi Antonelli 16th.<\/p>\n Cricket<\/strong> | Australia beat England by seven wickets after Beth Mooney struck a half-century in her third T20 World Cup final in a row.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: The Guardian<\/p>\n \u201cCrackdown on donations as Farage faces new gift row\u201d, is the Guardian<\/strong>\u2019s front page today. The Express<\/strong> says \u201cFarage: This is a hit job, I\u2019ve done nothing wrong\u201d, the Mirror<\/strong> writes \u201cFarage & the \u2018con\u2019s cash\u2019\u201d, and Metro<\/strong>\u2019s take is \u201cCrackdown on party donors amid row over \u2018Posh George\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n The Telegraph<\/strong> leads with \u201cTrump threatens Nato over defence\u201d, the Times<\/strong> also splashes on \u201cPM facing Nato rebuke from Trump at summit\u201d. The Mail<\/strong> has \u201cNHS treats dementia patients as \u2018second-class citizens\u2019\u201d and the i Paper<\/strong> says \u201cWeight-loss pills from chemists \u2013 but \u2018not on the NHS until 2028\u2019\u201d. The FT<\/strong> has \u201cFCA warns of \u2018arms race\u2019 as AI spreads in financial sector\u201d. Lastly, the Sun<\/strong> writes ahead of the World Cup clash \u201cHow\u2019s the hangover?\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/span>Fans react to a goal by the USA while watching a broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the USA and Bosnia.<\/span> Photograph: Camden Hall\/ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Has the US finally fallen in love with football?<\/strong><\/p>\n Has the success of the US men\u2019s team \u2013 and hosting the World Cup \u2013 finally made Americans fall in love with football? Guardian US soccer correspondent, Jeff Rueter<\/strong><\/em>, talks to Helen Pidd<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> Illustration: Tom Gauld<\/p>\n A bit of good news to remind you that the world\u2019s not all bad<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span>Javid, from Afghanistan, says he had never camped outdoors or gone to a music festival before working at Green Man.<\/span> Photograph: Green Man Festival<\/p>\n Green Man festival in Wales runs a training scheme that helps refugees and asylum seekers gain skills, confidence, and community. Participants get to learn communication, front\u2011of\u2011house work, food safety, and money management while experiencing their first festival.<\/p>\n Many, like Mina and Javid from Afghanistan, say the programme helped them connect with British and Welsh culture, rebuild confidence, and form lasting friendships. The scheme has involved 191 people from 52 countries, offering equipment, guidance, and a safe environment. Green Man organiser Fiona Stewart says the project counters hostility toward refugees and shows how much they bring to UK culture, helping them feel accepted and included.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, it\u2019s really like something to give you a fresh start and I\u2019m pretty sure when we return back home it will be very positive vibes. And you can spread this back,\u201d Olga, from Ukraine, said.<\/p>\n Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday<\/strong><\/p>\n And finally, the Guardian\u2019s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Good morning. At first glance, you could mistake it for an image of a pair of community cops assisting an elderly woman as she navigates some tricky steps. Only closer examination reveals they are arresting her. Yesterday afternoon, 84-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, a retired Anglican priest, and 13 others stepped one by one on to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[919,1043,7543,1240,364,4124,560],"class_list":{"0":"post-50927","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-crime-justice","8":"tag-action","9":"tag-briefing","10":"tag-monday","11":"tag-palestine","12":"tag-people","13":"tag-protect","14":"tag-protest"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=50927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/50928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=50927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=50927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=50927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Weekend roundup<\/h2>\n
\n
In depth: \u2018They might feel that if it goes to a jury trial, juries will acquit them\u2019<\/h2>\n
We want to hear from you<\/h2>\n
The week to come<\/h2>\n
\n
What else we\u2019ve been reading<\/h2>\n
\n
World Cup 2026<\/h2>\n
Sport<\/h2>\n
The front pages<\/h2>\n
Today in Focus<\/h2>\n
Cartoon of the day | Tom Gauld<\/h2>\n
The Upside<\/h2>\n
Bored at work?<\/h2>\n