Proportionate policing of Palestine Action protests | Palestine Action

Stella Creasy and Peter Hain make an excellent argument for adjustments within the technique of proscription and laws on public order (We voted for and in opposition to the ban on Palestine Motion. Now now we have a plan to finish this mess, 18 August). They argue additionally for “police steerage … by setting out a take a look at of proportionality for any interventions”. Leaving apart the expectation that our police forces already act in a proportionate method (ie don’t deliberately act disproportionately), there may be present steerage on proportionality. That is within the Crown Prosecution Service’s code for crown prosecutors, and it’s however a small step to use its rules to police interventions with a view to prosecution.The CPS code has a two-stage take a look at, and each should be met earlier than a prosecution might be introduced. Stage one requires there to be a “reasonable prospect of conviction” (ie evidential sufficiency), and stage two requires prosecution to be within the “public curiosity”. It’s certainly within the public curiosity that prison prosecutions, which can lead to extreme penalties, ought to be proportionate – and it could be outwith the general public curiosity for somebody to be introduced earlier than a prison court docket when such an motion is disproportionate.It stays to be seen whether or not, and the way, the CPS follows its personal directions (by way of the code) within the present circumstances. Within the meantime, the police may bear this in thoughts when contemplating arrest, elimination, detention, and preparation of a case for prosecution. Leslie BeaumontCroston, Lancashire Stella Creasy and Peter Hain are proper to underline what a large number the present scenario is. The federal government’s basic mistake has been to aim to handle an issue of mob violence and different types of comparatively low-level however disagreeable intimidation by resorting to anti-terrorist laws.On the identical time, the Terrorism Act 2000 wanted an entire overhaul lengthy earlier than the present controversy over Palestine Motion. The act’s lengthy checklist of proscribed organisations scarcely displays the fact that this century, regardless of a number of horrific circumstances of mass casualty terrorism, drunk-driving has posed a a lot larger risk to the lives of the British public than all of the teams on this checklist put collectively.The identical is even true of Northern Eire. Within the 12 months to March 2025, nobody died because of the “safety scenario” within the province. Undeterred, the Dwelling Workplace lists quite a few terrorist teams in Northern Eire, ignoring the truth that they’re inactive, defunct, or have lengthy been on ceasefire and decommissioned their weapons, or have been solely ever flags of comfort for bigger organisations.However a extra pressing repair is required instantly if the scenario over Palestine Motion is to not spiral uncontrolled. Probably the most sensible is that it ought to be made clear by the federal government and the police that there can be no prosecutions below terrorism laws that don’t contain homicide, tried homicide or steps in direction of that finish.Adrian GuelkeBelfast I used to be unable to attend the latest Palestine Motion help rally in London because of poor mobility. With additional protests deliberate subsequent month, I’m thus asking the house secretary to facilitate the Metropolitan police in offering domiciliary arrests. I’ll willingly don my Plasticine Motion T-shirt when receiving at house.Dr Richard ClubbLondon Have an opinion on something you’ve learn within the Guardian at this time? Please electronic mail us your letter and will probably be thought of for publication in our letters part.