Sophie Bolt

Heroes & Villains of 2025

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/heroes-villains-2025

 Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories (left) and (right) Robert Jenrick

The Morning Star sorts the good eggs from the rotten scoundrels of the year just gone

Heroes

The Birmingham Bin Strikers

…

Their struggle matters to us all: the largest local authority in the country seeks to tackle its financial problems by attacking the pay and conditions of its workforce, and if it gets away with it other councils will follow suit. 

…

Francesca Albanese

…

Sanctioned by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in revenge for her UN report From an Economy of Occupation to an Economy of Genocide, her bank accounts have been frozen, and this UN special rapporteur is blacklisted and barred from the international banking system like a terrorist, forcing her to manage all transactions in cash. 

…

The Palestine solidarity movement

So many people deserve special mentions, but the entire movement must be honoured: the heroic hunger strikers putting their lives on the line for justice; the thousands risking 14-year prison terms to expose the absurdity of the government’s ban on Palestine Action by sitting down peacefully in public; the leading peace activists arrested and charged for organising mass demonstrations, including Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal and Stop the War Coalition vice-chair Chris Nineham; the millions who have marched or fundraised or spread the word about a genocide, who forced Trump to tell Netanyahu in October that he cannot “fight the world” and must concede a ceasefire.

…

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

…

Under its new leader Sophie Bolt, CND has stepped up to the challenge across 2025, holding a tour bringing the arguments against rearmament to military bases across Britain and a fortnight’s peace camp in protest at Britain’s return to being Washington’s Air Strip One. 

…

Villains
 

“Tommy Robinson”

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has disfigured the British political scene for years but 2025 has seen ominous new developments, from his sponsorship by the world’s richest man — far-right megalomaniac Elon Musk — to the largest far-right demonstration in British history that brought well over 100,000 onto the streets of London in September.

…

Sarah Pochin and Robert Jenrick

…

These two deserve public shaming for pushing the boundaries of explicit racism in public life: Pochin by complaining about the number of black people on telly and Jenrick with his no-white-faces-in-Handsworth drivel. Pure poison from two politicians we need to see the back of as soon as possible.

David Lammy

…

Lammy, because the so-called Justice Secretary is presiding over horrendous abuses of justice — refusing to meet lawyers for the Palestine Action hunger strikers, who are being held for months and years behind bars without trial, and now planning the withdrawal of the right to jury trials just as the police are getting into gear with mass arrests of obviously innocent people.

Donald Trump

…

The White House declares active support for far-right movements across the world (particularly in Europe), expresses open contempt for international law, blows up boats, killing their crews, in a murderous rampage across the Caribbean while seizing Venezuelan tankers in acts of naked piracy. And all while moving closer to war.

In the Middle East, Trump breaks new ground by publicly endorsing the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and has already joined a direct Israeli attack on Iran — just days ago he mooted another. 

…

See the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/heroes-villains-2025

Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.
Continue ReadingHeroes & Villains of 2025

‘We stand here today as the accuser, not the accused’

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/we-stand-here-today-accuser-not-accused

 Supporters outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London, where Stop the War Coalition Chair Alex Kenny and CND general secretary Sophie Bolt are due to appear charged with a public order offence during a pro-Palestinian rally in London on January 18

Supporters gather outside court as Palestine protest organisers pleaded not guilty to charges

SUPPORTERS gathered outside the Westminster Magistrates’ Court today as Palestine protest organisers pleaded not guilty to charges, highlighting that they are “the accusers, not the accused.”

Stop the War Coalition chairman Alex Kenny and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Sophie Bolt are accused of failing to comply with conditions imposed by the Metropolitan Police on a demonstration held on Whitehall on January 18.

The Met previously claimed that some protesters had attempted to breach the conditions by marching out of the agreed protest area.

Both campaigners confirmed their identities and entered not guilty pleas.

District Judge Nina Tempia granted them unconditional bail ahead of a two-day trial set for March 10 and 11 2026 at the City of London Magistrates’ Court.

…

On a small stage nearby, Mr Kenny quoted the Scottish socialist John Maclean, telling the crowd: “We stand here today as the accuser, not the accused, and we should always bear that in mind.

“We’re accusing the state of complicity in a genocide, and we don’t accept any wrongdoing or guilt on our part.”

He warned of a growing crackdown on protest rights, saying that there is a “concerted effort to squeeze our ability to speak up about Palestine.”

“We know that this is happening because we’ve built a mass movement that, despite the smears, lies and intimidation, will not be silenced and is not going away,” he said.

“We are the voice of majority opinion in this country, and history will prove us right and our politicians wrong.”

Calling for continued mobilisation, Mr Kenny urged people to join the next national demonstration on August 9.

…

Read the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/we-stand-here-today-accuser-not-accused

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities,mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities,mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Continue Reading‘We stand here today as the accuser, not the accused’

Stop prosecuting protest, say Britain’s union leaders

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/stop-prosecuting-protest-say-britains-union-leaders

 Police officers watch as people take part in a national march for Palestine on Whitehall in central London, January 18, 2025

22 general secretaries sign joint statement demanding charges be dropped against Alex Kenny, Sophie Bolt, Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham over peaceful Palestine demo in January

TWENTY-TWO union general secretaries raised “deep concern about the erosion of the right to peaceful protest” in an open letter today, urging the Metropolitan Police to drop charges against four Palestine march leaders.

Paul Nowak of the TUC, Christina McAnea of Unison, Sharon Graham of Unite and the National Education Union (NEU’s) Daniel Kebede were among those who said that the charges against former union members who took part in peaceful protest on January 18 mark “an attack on our right to protest.”

The signatories together represent the vast majority of British trade union members.

The former NEU executive member Alex Kenny and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Sophie Bolt were arrested alongside more than 70 other people including director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham, the vice-chair of the Stop the War coalition.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell were also voluntarily interviewed under caution in relation to the march.

…

Continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/stop-prosecuting-protest-say-britains-union-leaders

Continue ReadingStop prosecuting protest, say Britain’s union leaders

Palestine Coalition Statement: Police repression of 18 January protest

Spread the love

https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-police-repression-of-18-january-protest

Posted on March 3, 2025

In Press Releases and Statements

The Palestine Coalition condemns the decision of the Metropolitan Police to issue letters ordering a range of activists, including Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Jewish Holocaust survivor, to attend formal interviews over their alleged roles in the Palestine solidarity protest on January 18th, 2025.

Letters have also been issued to prominent actor Khalid Abdalla, Stop the War Coalition officers Lindsey German, Alex Kenny and Andrew Murray, CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt, Friends of Al-Aqsa Chair, Ismail Patel, and probably will be to others.

The police claim in the letters sent to these activists, that they breached conditions imposed by the police to limit the right to protest against the genocide in Gaza.

These restrictions almost certainly came as a result of political pressure from supporters of Israel’s pro-genocide policies.

The protest’s chief steward Chris Nineham and Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal have already been charged with offences arising from the same protest, along with many others. Chris Nineham was violently arrested on the day.

MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have also been interviewed under caution by the police.

This apparently co-ordinated attack against the Palestine solidarity movement is endeavouring to halt public protest on the issue, through harassment of those involved in the movement, and through increasingly draconian restrictions on demonstrations.

That a Holocaust survivor is called in by the police for the alleged offence of carrying a bunch of flowers into Trafalgar Square, underlines the unjustifiable extremes to which the Metropolitan Police are prepared to go, to restrict the right to public protest and silence the Palestine solidarity movement.

What is claimed by the police as justification for this massive overreach of their powers is a complete misrepresentation of what took place, not just on the day but beforehand.

Our cause is to mobilise support for the Palestinian people suffering a genocidal onslaught by the Israeli state, backed by the British government. To pursue this just cause, we must also defend the right to protest – alongside many others who face similar restrictions.

We will not be cowed by these attacks on our rights.

We demand that the Metropolitan Police halt any prosecutions or proceedings against those involved in this entirely peaceful protest.

We further insist that the Metropolitan Police respects the right to protest and that it ceases to take instruction from those who are determined to back Israel’s genocidal actions, to maintain British state support for them, and to drive our movement off the streets.

Those who seek to do so will not succeed under any circumstances. We urge all those committed to preserving long-established freedoms to join us in protesting against this mounting campaign of state harassment.

https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-police-repression-of-18-january-protest

Keir Starmer confirms that his government is cnutier than Suella Braverman on killing the right to protest.
Keir Starmer confirms that his government is cnutier than Suella Braverman on killing the right to protest.
UK Labour Party Shadow Foreign Secretary repeatedly heckled at a speech to the Fabian Society over his and the Labour Party's support for and complicity in Israel's genocide of Gaza.
UK Labour Party Shadow Foreign Secretary repeatedly heckled at a speech to the Fabian Society over his and the Labour Party’s support for and complicity in Israel’s genocide of Gaza.
Continue ReadingPalestine Coalition Statement: Police repression of 18 January protest