UK Police Arrest Jewish Academic Following Pro-Palestine Speech

London (Quds News Network)- Retired Jewish professor Haim Bresheeth was arrested on Friday by London’s Metropolitan police following a speech he gave at a pro-Palestine protest in London.
Bresheeth, a child of Holocaust survivors and the founder of the Jewish Network for Palestine, was arrested during a demonstration outside the residence of Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely.
He faces charges of supporting a proscribed organization, according to a statement given to media outlet Skwawkbox by a police spokesperson.
In a video recording of Bresheeth’s arrest, a police officer informs him that he is being arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 for “making a hate speech”.
British Police arrested Professor Haim Bresheeth, a Jewish supporter of Palestine, for delivering a speech at an anti-genocide demonstration outside the residence of far-right extremist ambassador Tzipi Hotovely. pic.twitter.com/CvVwpqXYDr
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 4, 2024
“Israel has not achieved any of its declared aims, either in Gaza in Lebanon in, in Iran or anywhere else,” Bresheeth said in his speech.
“What has it achieved? Murder, mayhem, genocide, racism, destruction, this is what they’re good at,” Bresheeth said.
“But they cannot fight the resistance, they have lost every single time.”
“They cannot win against Hamas, they cannot win against Hezbollah, they cannot win against the Houthis. They cannot win against the united resistance to the genocide they have started.”
The police spokesperson said that the force is engaged in a “constant balancing act” and that it was acting to “prevent intimidation and serious disruption to communities.”
Bresheeth was released without charge on Saturday morning, after spending a night in custody, but remains under investigation.
The arrest of the Jewish academic comes amid a series of raids and detentions targeting pro-Palestinian activists and journalists under anti-terrorism law.
In October, police raided the home of journalist Asa Winstanley, seizing his electronic devices even though he was not arrested.
"CPJ is deeply alarmed by the British counter-terrorism police raid on journalist @AsaWinstanley’s home and the disturbing pattern of weaponizing counter-terrorism laws against reporters." https://t.co/vslNvydm5O
— Tamara Nassar (@TamaraINassar) October 31, 2024
In August, police detained journalist Richard Medhurst citing the Terrorism Act as his plane arrived in the UK, before stripping him of his electronic devices and forcing him to disclose passwords under threat of imprisonment – refusal to hand over logins or to answer any questions is an automatic offense under the legislation – and denying him access to legal advice and even water.
I was arrested at Heathrow Airport under the Terrorism Act, Sec 12 because of my reporting.
6 police officers were waiting for me at the entrance of the aircraft.
I was held for almost 24 hours and questioned.
I believe I'm the first journalist to be arrested under this… pic.twitter.com/pbf6q5dXIf
— Richard Medhurst (@richimedhurst) August 19, 2024
A week later, journalist Sarah Wilkinson was arrested as masked officers raided her home in the early hours of the morning, forced her to hand over passwords, and police tried to make her hand over details of her contacts in Palestine.
British human rights activist and reporter Sarah Wilkinson was arrested by UK police on Thursday morning, and subsequently released, allegedly for content she published online in support of Palestine and against the Israeli genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/2POiEkkOyb
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 30, 2024
Before them, Jewish activist and author Tony Greenstein, journalist Kit Klarenberg and journalist and former ambassador Craig Murray were also targeted for detention, arrest and harassment.