Sheffield Town Hall protest by Palestine campaigners in support of imprisoned hunger strikers

Supporters of the Sheffield Palestine Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid protested on the staircase in the town hall lobby yesterday (December 17). They called for councillors to speak to them about eight prisoners who are currently on hunger strike.

The eight are being held on remand in relation to alleged offences related to Palestine Action, which the government has proscribed – banned – under the Terrorism Act.

One of the prisoners, Qesser Zuhrah, was taken to hospital from HMP Bronzefield prison in Surrey yesterday. She has been on hunger strike for 46 days and Your Party MP Zarah Sultana and NHS doctors protested outside for the authorities to take her to hospital after she had reportedly pleaded for hours to be taken for treatment.

The Sheffield group also attempted to hand in a protest letter to justice minister David Lammy at the Ministry of Justice offices on Scotland Street, Sheffield.

Hilary Smith from the coalition said the ministry refused to take the letter outlining their concerns, so the protesters decided to go to the town hall to call for councillors to intervene with the government and national political parties.

Silenced

She said the group are worried that people are being effectively silenced for speaking up in support of the hunger strikers.

Hilary said: “We went inside the foyer with our banners and asked to speak to any councillors available but in particular with Coun Tom Hunt as the leader.

“The only people who came to speak to us were Alexi Dimond from the Green Party, then later their leader Angela Argenzio, who came and spoke very supportively and said she will do what she can to raise the issue.”

She said that Labour Coun Nabeela Mowlana also sent through a statement which was supportive and expressed her outrage at the government’s position.

The protesters remained for around 90 minutes and did not chant, said Hilary, except to announce what they were doing.

They made sure they did not block the stairway and decided not to do anything to disrupt an education, children and families policy committee meeting which was taking place at the same time.

Urgent

She said that councillors coming out of the meeting were careful to use a different staircase to avoid the protest.

“We wouldn’t normally take that sort of action but this is urgent,” said Hilary.

She called on councillors to “step up” and use any political influence they have to speak on behalf of the prisoners. All of the hunger strikers have been hospitalised at some point, she said.

Coun Dimond said that David Lammy should meet the hunger strikers’ lawyer and intervene in the case.

“I think it’s outrageous that the government is prepared to let British citizens starve to death to protect Israel’s genocide. Given the government’s support for the genocide in Palestine, it’s sadly not surprising because they proscribed Palestine Action for taking non-violent direct action against [Israeli defence manufacturer] Elbit.”

Coun Dimond said it was “completely outrageous” that the hunger strikers have been held in some cases for more than a year without trial.

Genocide

He said that those trying to stop a genocide are being treated in this way while those who support it are able to continue doing so.

“We’ve seen people holding banners saying ‘we support genocide’ and police refusing to arrest them. Whereas those who hold banners, including in Sheffield, saying ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action;’ are arrested.

“It shows the depravity of of the current Labour Party that this is still continuing, after over two years of genocide.”

Coun Mowlana said: “I do think it’s shameful that the government has a harsher response to those protesting a genocide than to those committing it.”

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She said that by proscribing Palestine Action the government is on a slippery slope in the erosion of everyone’s civil liberties and that must be opposed. Coun Mowlana said that the denial of urgent medical attention is a really frightening situation.

Release

“They have a duty of care and it’s a basic human right for them to have access to care. It would amount to almost state-sanctioned murder (if a prisoner dies).”

Coun Mowlana said that Labour MPs have raised the issue in the Commons, urging the government to take action. She called for the prisoners to be released.

A Commons Early Day Motion calling for David Lammy to act urgently to ensure that the prisoners’ treatment is humane and their human rights are upheld has been signed by Sheffield MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Olivia Blake.

Sheffield Labour Coun Minesh has also called this week for the prisoners to be released in a letter to justice minister and Rother Valley MP Jake Richards.

He told the minister: “Lawyers representing them have highlighted that their rapidly deteriorating health mean it is becoming increasing likely that they might die from their hunger strikes.

“They have been denied bail, are unlikely to see trial for up to a year, and are being held on what are widely seen as a politically-motivated charges.

Intervene

“It should not be a crime to oppose a genocide, or to protest the presence of an arms company. But over the last year we have seen people being arrested and held for opposing UK complicity in the genocide in Gaza.

“People accused of terrorism for holding placards and for urging their – our – government to act.

“It was concerning to see that you have refused meeting requests from other MPs on this issue, and that David Lammy has done the same. The life or death of activists should not be at risk simply because the Secretary of State refuses their right to fair and due process.

“In your capacity as a Justice Minister you have the ability to intervene in this situation and prevent the potential loss of life. You have the ability to remedy this ongoing wrong and to stop criminalising dissent.

“I urge you to take immediate action to see the hunger strikers released from prison, to prevent their unnecessary deaths.”