Police Scotland issue terror charge for man 'wearing pro-Palestine Action T-shirt'

POLICE Scotland have charged a man under suspicion of terror offences for wearing a T-shirt allegedly showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action.

The National understands that the 55-year-old activist was leafleting near TRNSMT festival, in Glasgow, when police charged him.

He was alleged to be wearing a T-shirt from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) which read: “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action.”

The words Palestine and Action were in a larger font than the other text. “Action” was in red, while the rest of the words were in white. At the bottom, the SPSC website and logo appeared.

Police are understood to have confiscated the T-shirt.

Image showing a version of the T-shirt which the activist is believed to have been wearing (Image: Supplied) The terror group designation for Palestine Action, brought in by the Labour Government, means that membership of or support for the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 55-year-old man was charged in connection with an offence under the Terrorism Act for wearing a T-shirt expressing support for a proscribed organisation.

"A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal."

In London on Saturday, groups of protesters opposing the Labour Government’s proscription of Palestine Action were removed by police.

Two small groups of protesters sat at the steps of both the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in Parliament Square for the demonstration, organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries, shortly after 1pm, and received a brief round of applause, the PA news agency reported.

A woman demonstrating against the proscription of Palestine Action is removed by police officers in London on Saturday (Image: PA) The individuals then wrote the message “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” with black markers on pieces of cardboard, and silently held the signs aloft, surrounded by Metropolitan Police officers, who formed a cordon around the Gandhi statue, and members of the media.

The protesters were then led or carried away from the statues by officers into waiting police vans parked around the square.

The force said 46 people had been arrested. Police arrested 29 people at a similar protest in Parliament Square last weekend.

More demonstrations will take place in London, as well as in Manchester, Cardiff and Derry, Northern Ireland, on Saturday, the campaign group Defend Our Juries said.

Scotland Yard said its stance remains that officers will act where criminal offences, including support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed.

The force added that this includes “chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos”.

Elsewhere, Police Scotland reported making six arrests linked to the first day of TRNSMT festival. 

A spokesperson said that alleged offences included police assault, assault, hate crime, and outstanding warrants, and that reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.