Cornwall 'terror suspects' questioned in Exeter

Pensioners with OBEs arrested during 'silent protest'

Two pensioners with OBEs who were arrested for showing support for Palestine Action outside Truro Cathedral on Saturday are likely to take part in an even bigger protest in the city next month. Deborah Hinton and Oliver Baines, both renowned figures in Cornwall, were among eight people arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police officers at the peaceful demonstration.

They were taking part in a silent rally – one of several across the country – to protest ‘direct action group’ Palestine Action being proscribed by the Government as a terrorist organisation. Holding signs saying “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”, all eight campaigners – two men and six women – were arrested on the steps of the cathedral under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, led or carried to police vans and then taken to Exeter police station. They were all released on bail at 3am the following morning. They have yet to be charged with any crime.

Among those arrested were former magistrate Deborah Hinton OBE, 81, of Gorran Haven, and former charity director Oliver Baines OBE, 74, of St Stephen, who said of Deborah: “She’s a pillar of the community, so it’s a very brave thing for her to have done.”

Also among those arrested were Jaye Brighton 75, from Falmouth, Anna Retallack, also from Falmouth, Sue Dugmore, 69, from St Austell, and Dave Kilroy, a retired software engineer from Plymouth.

Mr Baines told us: “Part of why we were protesting is that this mission creep of laws against protests is really frightening people. This is about freedom of speech.

“We were treated very well by the police – we don’t have any complaints at all, apart from the pasties they gave us which were disgusting,” he joked. “That aside, they were as generous to us as they could be. We’ve got no complaints about the police, the complaints are about the Government. The proscription of Palestine Action is completely outrageous. It’s really frightening for people to think they might go out and hold a sign and get arrested as a terrorist. It’s unbelievable.”

The protest took place ahead of a High Court hearing today (Monday, July 21). The claimant, Huda Ammori, is seeking permission for a full judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. If successful, the protest group’s ban would be quashed.

Mr Baines added: “We were probably released without charge due to today’s High Court hearing to see if the banning of Palestine Action is going to carry on or not.”

Does he expect to be charged? “We just don’t know. If we are charged, I expect it will be quite lightweight as a first charge, but we are expecting a big national action on August 9, which I will be taking part in again.”

Defend Our Juries which started the action under the banner We Do Not Comply is now calling for hundreds of people to take part in a similar but larger silent protest on that date, which will include a Truro demonstration.

Mat Osmond, speaking on behalf of the We Do Not Comply campaign in Cornwall, said of the Truro arrests: “The police officers looked like they’d been sent to deal with a fascist riot in their peaked caps and bulging flak jackets, but they were arresting 81-year-old pensioners. On the journey up to Exeter they were chatting to the police and the police’s view was that they just wanted the Government to sort it out as it was ridiculous.

“I think Labour’s decision to double down and get through this is producing a very powerful counter wing. I’ve done a lot of climate actions and we always anticipate the heckling and the shouts, but I only heard one man say ‘bollocks’. What was interesting was our numbers in Truro were doubled at least by people who rocked up to join us.”

He added: “We’re not advocating for Palestine Action. We’re resisting the proscription of Palestine Action. We’re resisting the politicised use of terror laws to suppress a non-violent campaign of sabotage. We’re resisting the criminalisation of peaceful protest because it’s already being used to intimidate and threaten people just for having Palestine flags.”

Holding up cardboard signs has become a crime since the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, ordered that Palestine Action be banned as a ‘terrorist organisation’ on July 5, after supporters of the group entered an RAF base at Brize Norton and spray-painted two military planes red.

In a national statement, We Do Not Comply said: “It is vital that our campaign succeeds – not just for Palestine Action but for democracy. Once the meaning of ‘terrorism’ is separated from campaigns of violence against a civilian population, and extended to include those causing economic damage or embarrassment to the rich, the powerful and the criminal, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning and democracy is dead. If we let this go, the unions, and climate and racial justice movements will be next.”

Following Truro’s protest, Lindsay Southcombe – a former mayor of the city – wrote on Facebook: “Eight peaceful protesters arrested in Truro today. I have never seen so many police in one place. It was like a scene from Line of Duty, but without the guns and the shouting.

“It was a Palestine Support gathering – very quiet and respectful. I got the feeling the police weren’t happy either. In fact I think they were embarrassed!! This is clearly a Government-led crackdown as they knew in advance where the demos were and Truro was the only one in Devon and Cornwall so they could mobilise police from Exeter.

“What a denial of liberty, a waste of police time and a futile attempt to make us all subservient.”