A WEST Belfast pensioner arrested at the weekend for wearing a t-shirt in support of Palestine Action says she won't stop wearing it.
Poleglass grandmother Marie McNally (74) was dragged into the back of a police Land Rover by officers as she attended an anti-racism demonstration in Belfast on Saturday afternoon.
Marie was wearing a t-shirt in support of pro-Gaza ceasefire group Palestine Action.
In July, the British government made expressing support for, or being a member of, Palestine Action a criminal offence under terrorism legislation.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Marie said: "I was at a pro-Palestine march and then went round to the anti-racist counter-protest at Ten Square Hotel.
"I was wearing my Palestine Action t-shirt. A police officer told me that the t-shirt was showing support for a terrorist organisation.
"I was asked for my name and address, which I gave in Irish. He came back and said that they couldn't find that address and asked me to write it down.
"I wrote it down in Irish and he came back and said I had to give my name and address in English, which I wouldn't do.
"I cooperated to the point of giving my name and address and confirming that I was over 18. I didn't have to give it in English."
Marie was then dragged by her armpits into the back of a police vehicle and drouth to Musgrave Street police station where she was questioned before being released a number of hours later.
Marie says her arrest will not deter her from protesting and hit out at the British government over their banning of Palestine Action.
"It is incumbent on governments and citizens to do everything they can to prevent a genocide," she added.
"Governments have made treaties which they are not standing by. If they are going to criminalise people, there is no trust whatsoever between a citizen and government.
"At the end of the day, the outlawing of Palestinian action is going to be a complex legal matter with regards to a number of things: different articles in the United Nations, the convention on free speech and things like that.
"At this moment in time, anyone wearing a Palestinian action t-shirt is liable to anything up to 14 years in prison.
"Not only will I continue to protest, I'll continue to wear my t-shirt.
"It's the duty of all citizens to stand up to bad laws, to stand up to aggressive legislation, not to abide by them, and if governments won't abide by their own law with regards to genocide, why should I compromise?
"I'll carry on wearing my t-shirt and they can keep on arresting me. They can do what they want, but I will continue what I'm doing."
A PSNI spokesperson said: "A 74-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation in the Linenhall Street area of Belfast on Saturday, August 9, has been released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service."
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan slammed the British government’s attempts to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement.
“The British government’s attempts to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement, and the subsequent actions of the PSNI in enforcing this draconian legislation, have been disgraceful," he said.
“While Keir Starmer continues to enable the ongoing Israeli genocide and starvation of Gazans, he is also moving to silence ordinary, decent people for speaking out.
“Netanyahu last week announced his intention to seize Gaza City. Yet still, Starmer provides cover for this rogue regime, instead targeting activists for highlighting what should be a universal moral outrage.
“Like all previous censorship attempts by the British government, which is totally out of step with the wider public, this too will fail.
“Highlighting the ongoing devastation in Gaza is not a crime. The real crime is Israel’s policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide, aided and abetted by the US and Britain.”
