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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 1h

Not yet but I'll be on it as soon as there is

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 2h

The Manchester synagogue attacker called 999 and pledged allegiance to Isis before being shot dead, the police have said

His tactics mirrored advice issued by Isis through official propaganda on the use of vehicles and knives, and announcing allegiance before death
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...

British Synagogue Attacker Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Police Say

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 2h

On one level, the collapsed prosecution of two men accused of spying for China is a matter of complex legal wrangling over a 114-year-old law

But on another level, it asks a far bigger and more current question. Is China an "enemy" to the UK, or a "friendly power"?
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...

Why a China Spy Case in the U.K. Collapsed Before It Went to Trial

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 3d

New arrest breakdown from the Defend Our Juries protest and wider public order operation in central London:
- 488 arrests for supporting a proscribed organisation
- 1 each for being drunk and disorderly, common assault, a public order offence and unrelated warrant
- ages 18-89
-297 people in custody

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

The Metropolitan Police have arrested 493 people in Trafalgar Square for holding signs reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" and say the figure could rise as processing continues

That brings the number of arrests linked to the Palestine Action ban to around 2,000 in London alone

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

As it stands, Palestine Action's judicial review of the government's decision to ban it as a terrorist group will start on 25 November

We will learn this month if the government's attempt to stop it being heard has succeeded at the Court of Appeal
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/30/w...

Pro-Palestinian Group Can Appeal U.K. Ban, Judge Rules, Citing Free Speech

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

Today's demo was much smaller than the one I attended a month ago (report below)

Unclear if some people decided not to go in light of the synagogue attack, if the pool of people willing to be arrested for sign holding is becoming exhausted, or stormy weather impacted
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/w...

Over 800 Arrested at Protest After Pro-Palestinian Group Banned as Terrorist

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

Defend Our Juries refused a request from the Metropolitan Police to cancel today's protest on resourcing grounds after the Manchester synagogue attack

Police blame them for deliberately breaking the law, protesters blame the government for creating it with what they believe is an unlawful ban of PA

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

The vast majority of those arrests have taken place at protests organised by the Defend Our Juries group since the ban came into force 3 months ago

They have used the same signs, which are an offence under section 13 of the Terrorism Act (articles raising suspicion of support for proscribed group)

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 4d

The Metropolitan Police have arrested 493 people in Trafalgar Square for holding signs reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" and say the figure could rise as processing continues

That brings the number of arrests linked to the Palestine Action ban to around 2,000 in London alone

14 57 120

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

New: Counter-terror police have announced that Jihad al-Shamie "may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology," but that establishing the full circumstances of the Manchester synagogue attack will take time

3 more people have been arrested on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

The Manchester synagogue attacker was under investigation for rape and had been released on police bail

Jihad al-Shamie also had a criminal record, but the offences were unrelated to terrorism and he was not a "subject of interest" for the security services
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...

Manchester Synagogue Terrorist Was Under Investigation for Rape

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

According to my records, perpetrators in 14 out of the 20 formally declared terror attacks in Britain since March 2017 have had previous criminal convictions or cautions

The six exceptions include the Parsons Green bombing, murder of Sir David Amess and the 2023 Hartlepool stabbing

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

That makes him the second person to launch a recent terrorist attack in Britain while under investigation for sex offences

The previous one was Callum Parslow, a neo-Nazi who stabbed an asylum seeker during an attack on a hotel he believed was housing migrants
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Revealed: English neo-Nazi who stabbed asylum seeker was serial stalker

Terrorist Callum Parslow was previously jailed for sending 10 women sexually explicit and misogynistic messages, and targeted a former GB News presenter

www.theguardian.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

The Manchester synagogue attacker was under investigation for rape and had been released on police bail

Jihad al-Shamie also had a criminal record, but the offences were unrelated to terrorism and he was not a "subject of interest" for the security services
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...

Manchester Synagogue Terrorist Was Under Investigation for Rape

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

Rowley says that if Defend Our Juries go ahead, the holding of signs saying "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" will not "go unpoliced"

He says the Met can "call in support from forces across the UK to ensure we can arrest all those breaking the law in support of a terrorist group"

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

Update: Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says "there is no power in law" to stop tomorrow's protest against the ban of Palestine Action

He says there's "no possibility" to apply to the home secretary, and that the law is different for static assemblies than marches

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

With the discussion about protests this weekend, here is some information on police powers and the law 👮

In order for a protest to be banned from taking place, the home secretary needs to grant a police application showing it would cause "serious public disorder".The legal bar is intentionally high

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

One of the victims killed in yesterday's Manchester synagogue attack was shot by a police officer

The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Stephen Watson said the injury "may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence" of response
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...

Police Accidentally Shot and Killed Victim During Manchester Terrorist Attack

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

On the face of it, there is no applicable power that can be used to ban either pro-Palestinian marches or the static protests against the ban of Palestine Action

Very strict conditions can be imposed to limit timings, locations etc but an outright ban is a different legal test

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

The law around static assemblies is different from moving marches

They cannot be prohibited because of a general public order concern, and applications can only be made if they are on "land to which the public has no right of access or only a limited right"
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/6...

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

This parliamentary briefing from December says banning orders for marches are very rare

That's because of the high threshold and the wide-ranging powers under section 12 of the Public Order Act impose conditions to reduce the risk of disorder
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

The power is contained in this law - the Public Order Act 1986 (also the source of many recent right-wing outrages over arrests for online activity)

There has to be evidence of "serious public disorder", and the police have to show that risk cannot be managed
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/6...

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

With the discussion about protests this weekend, here is some information on police powers and the law 👮

In order for a protest to be banned from taking place, the home secretary needs to grant a police application showing it would cause "serious public disorder".The legal bar is intentionally high

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 5d

I cannot recall any terror attack with those specific numbers but the last right-wing terror attack formally declared in Britain was in January

Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 6d

Police have identified the man who carried out the Manchester synagogue attack as Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent

Counter Terrorism Policing said they are still "working to understand the motivation" and 3 people have been arrested
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Live Updates: Attacker at British Synagogue Identified

www.nytimes.com

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 6d

I'm afraid not, would have loved it to be

Suppose I could record an unofficial version!

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 6d

If you're interested in how terrorism has changed in the UK over the past decade, my book explores it through the lens of the plots that were thwarted, as well as the attacks that were carried out

www.amazon.co.uk/Plotters-UK-...

Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed: Amazon.co.uk: Dearden, Lizzie: 9781805261636: Books

Buy Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed 2 by Dearden, Lizzie (ISBN: 9781805261636) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

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