In Derry, Ireland, a small group of elderly protesters gathers each week outside the town hall, holding cardboard signs declaring support for Palestine Action, now banned under UK terrorism laws. Since the July proscription, more than 2,000 people have been arrested nationwide for showing solidarity with the group, a crackdown that followed activists’ break-in at RAF Brize Norton.
While police in London have hauled protesters away for identical signs, officers in Derry mostly stand back as the pensioners hold their quiet vigil. For many here, the ban echoes past repression and feels like a stark warning that hard-won freedoms are once again under threat.
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