Open Letter to Sir Mark Rowley, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police

Amnesty International UK has written to Sir Mark Rowley, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, ahead of the widely publicised planned protest due to take place in London on Saturday (9th August) by activist group Defend Our Juries. The group, who opposes the proscription of Palestine Action, have been protesting since the ban came into effect on 5th July. So far, all their protests have been entirely peaceful, yet there have been many arrests under the Terrorism Act for showing solidarity with the banned group using slogans on placards. The letter, signed by Amnesty UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh, warns against arresting demonstrators, who are expected to turn out in their hundreds. Police have already threatened to make hundreds of arrests on the day, and prison bosses have been making space in prisons for a possible influx of protesters after the Ministry of Justice initiated “capacity gold demand”.