Scottish protestors arrested in Edinburgh under Terrorism legislation, for peaceful action
SPSC Statement, 6th September 2025
On Saturday 6th of September SPSC members were arrested in Edinburgh following a peaceful action outside Queen Elizabeth House that SPSC jointly organised with Defend Our Juries. Defend Our Juries participants held placards reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” whilst SPSC organised the wearing of t-shirts that read “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action.” - together, 100 actionists took part. Both organisations were there to protest Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people and to defend our rights to organise and campaign against the genocide.
Police were on the scene before the demonstration took place, but chose not to make arrests until after the peaceful demonstration dispersed. In a cowardly move, Police Scotland chose to wait and followed two peaceful protestors as they left QEH; both were followed by police officers into bars/restaurants before being arrested under the Terrorism Act. This is yet another example of Police Scotland’s overreach of power and is in direct contradiction to the First Minister’s statement in Parliament mere days ago that we must do all we can to end the genocide.
This week, Scotland’s First Minister stated, “there can be no business as usual during a genocide”. This followed nearly two years of pressure from Scottish people, with John Swinney only recently calling it what it is – genocide – when directly confronted by Scottish PSC campaigners and supporters.
This week, the Scottish Government finally announced steps to stop the genocide and ensure Scotland is not complicit. Their measures did not go far enough, and the MSP vote for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel is welcome, but it will be up to us, Scottish civil society, to continue to pressure our governments, institutions, and corporations to make that real. BDS means campaigning in our communities and in towns and cities across Scotland.
Police Scotland continues their business of supporting the Home Secretary’s assault on our human rights and civil liberties. The Westminster government’s desperation to protect and arm the apartheid and genocidal state of Israel is clear as they continue to push to dangerously redefine terrorism. By their definition, wearing a t-shirt or holding a placard is now “terrorism.” Weapons sales are big business, and Starmer’s government has no qualms about making deals with Israel’s largest arms company, Elbit Systems.
The UK government has shown how willing they are to spend public funds on misuse of criminal justice systems, on redefining the police role and accountability, filling our courts, holding political prisoners for many months without conviction. Police Scotland continues to harass activists – ordinary Scottish people who oppose the extermination of the Palestinian people. This is despite the Crown Office leaving cases hanging open with no clarity about the legality of such arrests. Amnesty International and the Scottish Human Rights Commission are amongst many that have raised concerns about state/police overreach that is violating our rights.
Meanwhile, Israeli politicians this week openly talk of “opening the gates of hell” as Israeli forces murdered scores of people in the besieged Gaza City this week, forcing more than 200,000 people into further displacement. Israel now holds more Palestinian people hostage in arbitrary detention than ever before. The response from the UK government has been to invite the Israeli president round for tea and to promote the members of Parliament who support Israeli state terrorism into positions of further power and control.
Until the Scottish and Westminster governments take real and immediate steps to end UK complicity in the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestine, we will continue our business as usual – demanding equality, justice and freedom for the Palestinian people.
The campaign grows daily – Scottish people are resisting oppression, demanding accountability and justice. Attempts to silence solidarity only serve as evidence that the government is all too aware that its complicity and impunity are not sustainable.
We need you to join the Scottish PSC, donate to our Fighting Fund and get involved in BDS campaigning.
It was an honour to take part alongside and in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across the countries.
It will never not be infuriating that these acts of collectivism are needed by the people, as it of course shines a light on our government’s incapabilities, and the ways in which they have, and continue, to fail Palestine.
As much as we welcome the Scottish government’s recognition of a Genocide, are we really going to continue to allow Keir and his spineless, hypocritical and failing government to dictate the way the public views our police and our politicians?
We need action. We demand it. And if you can’t deliver, you leave people no choice.
You can not silence us all.
Palestine must be free.
Military involvement is required.
Save the children, for the love of your own.
Ask yourself what side of history you are on- as one day, your children inevitably will.