Manchester, England police were filmed arresting a person this week for simply wearing a Palestinian flag around his neck at a demonstration.
Police reportedly declared the individual violated common law by breaching the peace.
#GMP have arrested a young pro-palestinian protestor at St Peters Square #Manchester for wearing the #palestine flag. When asked, police stated it was for common law, breach of peace. They then put a section 35 on Manchester City Centre, threatening bystanders with arrest. pic.twitter.com/X6K2zQgxOJ
— Joseph Conway (@j0keon) October 11, 2023
“What crime?” bystanders asked officers walking the guy into a paddy wagon. “He has done nothing wrong!”
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman told The Guardian Wednesday displaying the Palestinian flag or chanting in support of a free Palestine could both cause Brits to be arrested.
The home secretary sent a letter to chief constables across England and Wales asking they take action against any citizens engaging in the previously listed acts.
The anti-free speech politician didn’t want police to stop with Hamas supporters as she even called for a crackdown on people simply singing for Palestine to “be free.”
Braverman wrote, “It is not just explicit pro-Hamas symbols and chants that are cause for concern. I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated section 5 public order offence.”
Read More: Man Arrested For Wearing Palestinian Flag At British Protest
