Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was arrested at yesterday’s massive national Palestine Solidarity protest in London, on 17 May 2025, for holding a placard that condemned human rights abuses by both Hamas and the Israeli government. His aim was to draw attention to the suffering of all Palestinian victims of violence in the conflict.

Peter Tatchell said:

“I was arrested as I was marching across Westminster Bridge with thousands of other pro-Palestine protesters. The police said I had committed a breach of the peace by marching with my placard: “STOP Israel genocide! STOP Hamas executions! Odai Al-Rubai, aged 22, executed by Hamas! RIP!”

See details of Odai’s execution by Hamas below.

“This is another example of the way the police are abusing their powers to suppress freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest. The arresting officers must face disciplinary action.

“My arrest was a massive waste of police resources and taxpayer’s money on trumped up charges.

“Police allege that my placard was a ‘racially and religiously aggravated breach of the peace’ and that I had violated a Section 14 order. That is nonsense. My placard made no mention of anyone’s race or religion.

“According to the police, Palestine march stewards told them I shouted “Hamas are terrorists.” I never shouted anything. This was a crude smear by stewards to get the police to remove me from the march. Even if someone said those words, they have a right to do so under the laws protecting freedom of speech and the right to protest.

“I support the Palestine Solidarity Campaign but it has questions to answer: Did its stewards collude with the police to have me arrested? Is it the official policy of the PSC that supporters of Palestine are banned from criticising Hamas on its marches?”

“I’ve supported the Palestine Solidarity movement for 54 years but oppose Hamas’s sexist, homophobic, antisemitic dictatorship, and its execution of Palestinians who criticise it.

“Police falsely alleged that I was part of a counter anti-Palestine protest. That allegation is refuted by the fact that my placard was pro-Palestine. It said ‘STOP Israel genocide!’ and I was wearing a “Free Palestine’ badge, which is the official badge of the protest organisers, the PSC.

“Officers said I was marching outside the designated protest zone, in breach of a Section 14 order. That’s untrue. I was in the designated protest zone with tens of thousands of other marchers. Why was I singled out for arrest?

“I was detained on the pavement, in a police van and in cells at Charing Cross police station for a total of 5 hours, 38 minutes. I was finger-printed, DNA-sampled and photographed.

“My arrest and prolonged detention was justified by the police on the absurd grounds that it was ‘thought unlikely person would attend voluntarily’ for interview at a later date, and to ‘prevent the person in question (me) from causing physical injury to themselves or any other person.’ These claims are police slurs.

“I have been a non-violent human rights defender for over 58 years and never been accused of injuring others.

“At Charing Cross police station, the police failed to interview me, which was the reason they said they had to arrest and detain me.

“At the start of the march, I was abused, menaced and threatened by a small minority of Palestine marchers. They told me “Fuck off”, “Get out of here” and called me “Zionist scum.” It was frightening. The police stood by and did nothing.

“I was at 6.38pm on 17 May finally set free from custody at Charing Cross police station: ‘released – under investigation.’

“This the 103rd time I have been detained or arrested by the police over the last 58 years of campaigning – in all cases for peaceful protests. In 102 cases I was never convicted of any offence.

“I have a five decade-long track record of defending the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis. I condemned the 7 October massacre and urged the release of Israeli hostages. I’ve also repeatedly condemned Israel’s occupation and its killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, while also exposing human rights abuses committed by Hamas, such as the jailing, torture and execution of political dissidents, the suppression of trade unions, free speech, the right to protest and media freedom.”

Hamas execution of Odai Al-Rubai

“In response to anti-Hamas protests, Hamas has issued orders for the execution of all “traitors and troublemakers.” It hunted down 22-year-old protester, Odai Al-Rubai. Hamas beat him for four hours with metal bars. His broken body was then dragged by a rope through the streets and dumped outside his family home with the message: This is what happens to people who criticise Hamas. Others have suffered a similar grisly fate, with nine Palestinians executed in a single day last month,” said Mr Tatchell.