THE Scottish Greens have slammed the "undemocratic" terror charges which have been brought against one of their party campaign managers.
Edinburgh Greens campaign coordinator Adam McGibbon was charged with two offences under the Terrorism Act on Friday, in connection with two pro-Palestine protests he attended weeks earlier.
At both protests, McGibbon held a sign which read "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action".
The Scottish Greens are opposed to the proscription of Palestine Action, which was brought in by then-home secretary Yvette Cooper in July following the direct action group's targeting of two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton.
Protests have taken place regularly across Scotland since the ban came into effect, resulting in a swathe of activists being charged with terror offences.
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman said the latest charge was a "direct attack on free speech and on our democratic principles".
Chapman told The National: “It is a worrying sign that the right to protest is being stripped away.”
Chapman went on to say that “this is not just about one arrest”.
“It is about whether people feel safe to speak up against apartheid, against oppression, against injustice, without fear of severe legal reprisals,” she said.
The MSP continued: “It must be a legitimate part of our democracy to protest. And it must especially be a legitimate part of our democracy to show support for Palestine and protest against the ongoing genocide that is being live streamed to us from Gaza.”
Chapman said it is “our moral and legal duty to campaign against genocide”, particularly in the context of the UK formally recognising the state of Palestine.
She added: "Supporting humanitarian rights is not, and should never be, treated as terrorism.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A 37-year-old man was arrested in Edinburgh on 3 October in relation to offences under the Terrorism Act 2000. He was released and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
