The Death of Free Speech in the UK

My name's Alice, this is my girlfriend Rebecca.She decided to come here today, handcuffed to me, and put this sign which is...You know, clearly in support of a terrorist organization.I've ended up in this very embarrassing situation.

Is it a crime to be in love?Do you expect to be arrested today?

I'm not sure.I mean, I'm protesting my innocence.Like, I didn't write this.I'm not here.Like, it's my girlfriend.You know what I mean?

She's a terrorist.I'm really sorry.This is my girlfriend.I think if I am arrested, it will be a severe miscarriage of justice.

Do you think your girlfriend will be arrested today?

Rebecca?Sweetie?She said she's not sure.

What will you do if your girlfriend's arrested?

Cry.I mean, she's made some mistakes, but I still love her.I'm just supporting my woman.

Why are people being arrested here today?

I mean, people are being arrested because Palestine Action has been designated a terrorist group.And some people think that that's maybe not such a great thing.I have no opinions on the matter.As I said, innocent.

I'm innocent.I'm innocent.I'm innocent.I'm innocent.

I'm innocent.

I'm innocent.

I'm innocent.Fresh off America's 250th anniversary and our own royal wedding, you may not know this, but not everybody around the world values freedom like we do here in the great USA.And in the past few years, one US ally in particular has come under a lot of fire.

a horrific crackdown on free speech.

In Britain, free speech, I fear, is in retreat.That's right.Free speech is under attack in the United Kingdom.And in the story we're doing today, over 3 ,000 people have been arrested since last July for doing something you see in the U .S.every single day, peaceful protest.

At this point, any red -blooded, freedom -loving American patriot might ask,how the hell can that be possible?Now, if you're a Channel 5 supporter and you've been watching our Palestine series, you know the issue is a hot topic around the world, involving many Western countries, lawmakers, and tax dollars.And much like the US, Israeli influence can be found in a major way in the UK, where protests have centered around Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons manufacturer with factories across England.Those in the U .S.

may also know Elbit for its contracts on the U .S.-Mexico border, where it deploys surveillance towers and technology right here in order to keep the border secure.The protests against Elbit have been popping the hell off in the U .K.for the past five years, but the arrests and actions have really picked up over the past calendar year.

So back in November, we sent the homie JP to London to figure out what the hell is going on across the pond.

We're slaves to ideology and consumption.Man, it's selfish.We're slaves to thinking that we're better than anyone else's.We suffocate, asphyxiate, heart rate perpetuating hatred.We overwhelm, degenerate, abbreviate for the sake of staying basic.And I'm talking from a privilege that I don't debate.

I hit the jackpot of the century, white, male, cis, straight.And I know my heart was meant to be my pale -skinned fate because I know I couldn't live with being silent on hate.When I grew up, my estate was always teeming with diversity.But now I can't remember how the end of my rap goes.

That's perfect.Thank you so much, man.What's going on?in the United Kingdom.As an American reporting in the UK, it brings me a little bit of sadness to say that free speech laws here in Britain are not what they are in the United States.

Free speech is very important.I don't know if you're referring to any place in particular, perhaps they are, but we've had free speech for a very, very long time here.

So we're very proud about that.

That's right, because here in the UK, you can spend up to six months in prison for holding a sign.or putting on a pin with a phrase that the government doesn't like.And that's exactly what's happened.Over the past five months or so, over 2 ,200 people have been arrested here in the UK.for holding up signs in favor of a group called Palestine Action, a direct action protest group here in the UK that back in July, the British government designated as a terrorist organization.So they put it on the level of ISIS, Al Qaeda.

And again, speaking to the free speech laws here in Britain, you cannot say, I like ISIS.I think Al Qaeda is pretty cool.That could end you up in prison.So we're here in Tavistock Square in London, where protesters have gathered.And here at 1 p .m.

, they are all in unison going to write the phrase, I oppose genocide.I support Palestine action and then line up to be arrested en masse.

My name's Paul.I'm with a socialist choir called Strawberry Thieves.

Labour acting just like Tories.

Fa la la la la, la la la la. I'm here to support the people who are fighting for the freedom of expression.It's a working class tradition.People in struggle sing together and it creates camaraderie.

On our screens we see the cruelty.

Fa -la -la -la -la, la -la -la -la.Not the most responsive audience, I didn't hear any...It's a silent protest.Yeah, I mean, I appreciate what you're doing, it's great, but maybe not here.

It could have raised the mood so much if people would have joined in.What do you think the goal is with the protest here today?Ah, teach the government a lesson.And what lesson do you want to teach the government?

Respect people's human rights.Don't contravene the Human Rights Act.

As you can see behind me, there have got to be between 50 and 100 police officers here.And now the police are going one by one and making arrests.The protesters are not making it easy on them.They have gone limp.They are not resisting arrest, but are refusing to help them do their jobs.And so one by one, they are being carried out.

by a group of five to six officers at a time.Do you have anything you want to say to the people as you get dragged out?

Free Palestine.Stop enabling the people who are killing people.That's what I want you to do.In our thousands we will oppose you.We want you to do the right thing.Tell my wife I love her.

Look how they're picking up this beautiful human being.She should not be picked up by four men in this manner.It is disgusting as we are seeing the erosion of British democratic values at the behest of Benjamin Netanyahu.Shame on this government.This government doesn't have a leg to stand on.This government is being dictated by the Zionist lobby, not just in the United States, but across the globe.

If this is how they are treating the elderly, white, British, These people, what are they going to do to brothers like you and me?How are they going to pick you up?How are they going to drag you on the street?Will you just wait until they come at your door?

The protest here today is organized by Defend Our Juries, with the stated goal of lifting the ban on Palestine action.

My name's Lex, I work with Defend Our Juries.

Can you tell me what Defend Our Juries' goal was in organizing this today?

The goal really is to highlight the farce of a terrorism act that we have in this country.

My name is Pedro and I usually come to the protest to photograph and to record, consider myself a witness to the dark times we're going through.

support the individuals that are holding up a placard that reads, I oppose genocide and I support Palestine action.

My name is Elizabeth.I'm here to protest against the ban on Palestine action because I believe it is unlawful.It is not in line with a democracy.

And do you expect to get arrested today?

I do.That's why I'm here.

And I hope to get arrested.Yes.My name is Sam Weinstein.I'm part of the International Jewish Anti -Zionist Network here in the UK.And I'm here to support people who are opposing genocide.

outrageous.It's a complete erosion of our democratic rights going on in this country.

The government is trying to completely take away our human rights to express our opinion about what's wrong with the world.

And this is taking place after The United Nations believes that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza after the international criminal courts are investigating the Israeli military for plausible genocide.Sorry, not just the Israeli military, but has actually issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu as well as other individuals within his government.But we're seeing elderly in such harsh environments in the winter, in the cold, being dragged by men for what?For holding up a placard saying that they opposed that very same genocide.

The amount of police officers that is here today just shows the priorities of this state in suppressing any kind of political dissent.That's what we're here to highlight.

This is one of a long line of protests under the name of Lift the Ban, specifically about lifting the ban on Palestine action.So there's a civil disobedience campaign, a very broad -based civil disobedience campaign, with now 2 ,200 people who've been arrested.

So my name's Paddy Friend.I'm a law student.I live in London.I'm currently, like, a PhD researching, you know, protest rights and the, really, the repression of protest in this country.You were recently arrested, right?Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, I was arrested because Palestine Action were recently prescribed this year, given terrorist status under law, and I've been arrested as a consequence of that.They've accused me of being an organiser of the Lift the Ban protests organised by Defend Our Juries, and they've accused me of speaking on a number of Zoom calls, which they say were supportive of Palestine Action.

As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, why do you think it's important to be here?

You know, the Jewish voice that's being heard in the media is seen as that all Jews are supporting the state of Israel and what Netanyahu's doing and I think it's really important that youpeople like me, particularly those of us whose families were in the Holocaust, to speak up and say this has got nothing to do with Judaism.That there are many, in fact, a growing minority of older Jews and certainly many, many Jews, younger Jews, who absolutely are not Zionists, do not support the actions of Israel, and it is definitely not done.in our name.

Our Jewish history teaches us to be against genocide.We had to deal with a genocide, so we recognize a genocide when we see one taking place in Palestine.And our saying is, never again for anyone.

But also when I think about my father's experience and what went on in Nazi Germany and Europe, I see the erosion of those rights.A genocide just doesn't happen like that.A holocaust doesn't happen overnight.It's the build -up of anti -democratic laws about our right to protest.

You have a right to freedom of expression, which is a part of a healthy democracy.Right now, our democracy doesn't look pretty healthy.People are being dragged away for going down to a public place and expressing a pretty basic fact.We don't really have free speech at all.I think for the American audience watching this, I think it must look pretty fucking wild.

You can't give your opinion on the prescription of groups like Hamas or Hezbollah or Palestine Action now.As soon as you say something about them, you're considered a terrorist yourself.

To prescribe a group that, you know, basically smashed up arms companies, like, this is an erosion of our right to protest.

And can you speak to a little bit of what Palestine Action was doing?Palestine Action was going into factories where they manufacture weapons.weapons and bombs, etc., and destroying them.doing everything they can to destroy them and also to point the cameras at them and to bring them out of the darkness into the light to show what was happening.

They would enter arms factories, they would occupy the roofs of arms factories and dismantle actual weapons.For example, now currently the Filton 24 who are on trial in Woolwich Crown Court have been accused of aggravated burglary and what they did was smash up quadcopters and they're accused of causing about two million pounds of damage to Elbit Systems, which is Israel's biggest arms factory.

I'm not even sure that people in this country are aware that Israeli companies have arms factories on our shore.

What the people in Pal -Action were doing was trying to stop a genocide by destroying the machinery of war.They were trying to break up the factories that are building the bombs that are killing women and children.

But I think the thing that really spurred on the government to prescribe them was that they threw red paint.They broke into an RAF base and they threw red paint on a fighter jet.

And for people who wouldn't know at home, the RAF is a section of the British military?

Yeah, the Royal Air Force.

Brise Norton and vandalised military aircraft.And actually they were there for quite a while without anybody realising they were there and I think the government was really embarrassed.

Well the Prime Minister Sikir Starmer has called this disgraceful and an act of vandalism sentiments echoed by the Ministry of Defence but massive questions given those perpetrators are still at large and given what a vital role this base plays for Britain's military infrastructure.

I think it was about 2006 there was a big court case, you know, with some people that had broken into an RAF base.base.One of them was represented by Keir Starmer, you know, and the judge in that case says there is a long and honourable tradition of civil disobedience, of direct action in this country, and didn't elect to put those people in prison, you know, and it feels like in the last ten, five years it's gotten You know, the game has really changed.Like, people are going to prison for a long time and in pretty big numbers.

That's why we need to dismantle the Terrorism Act 2000.It was designed to silence political dissent.

I mean, it is a deeply illiberal, draconian piece of legislation.It gives the police unchecked powers and the courts unchecked powers and the state unchecked powers.It gives them the power to, you know, hold you for a week.without charge, without speaking to a lawyer sometimes.It gives them the power to stop anyone at the border that they have any suspicion of anything.It gives them the power to demand that you unlock your phone.

Not only does it give the state the power to sort of destroy, you know, groups it deems as terrorists, destroy its opponents.It is also this sort of, you know, ideological, political tool to go after our thoughts and our of freedom of speech, right?I think what we're seeing is extreme now, the way it's been, you know, used on a protest group for the first time.But like, I think it's really important to remember that these laws have been used for the last 20 years in this country.basically exclusively against Muslims.They've sowed a climate of fear, of suspicion, you know, in Muslim communities in this country, and there have been huge miscarriages of justice.

Now we see them being used on protest groups.

What the movement has always said is that the police have a choice whether to arrest these people or not, right?That's a fact in this country.In the several nations that make up the UK, in Scotland, for example, the police have chosen not to arrest people holding signs because they feel Either it's not in the public interest, or it doesn't fit their interpretation of the term.act.

the good word, is a dope -ass news aggregate that pulls every outlet covering a story into one place and lines up left, right, and center side by side.So here's the actual research process live.So I type in UK free speech right here, over a hundred sources pull up on one screen instead of me googling stuff for two hours and finding whatever the algorithm decided that I was supposed to find that day.Whenever I pull up ground news, the first thing I look at is bias distribution because it tells me what I'm about to miss.So with this story, right -leaning outlets like the New York Post and the Daily Mail went pretty hard on the arrests and that 12 ,000 number that Sarah Rogers has been citing.Whereas on the left, you have outlets like the Guardian who went really hard on Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur their travel authorization pulled.

You'll notice on this bias distribution table, there's barely any overlap between coverage from left to right.Ground News calls that a blind spot.And honestly, when I see one, that's typically the thing that I go report on.Then on Ground News, I check ownership before I quote anybody.For example, The Times of London is all over this story.And Ground News tells me that it's News Corp, the Murdochs, the same house as the Wall Street Journal and Fox News, who own that publication.

And every source has a factuality rating attached to it.So I know exactly what I'm working with before it goes in a script.It takes about 10 minutes every day, and it's the reason that I can make a video about a country I don't know a goddamn thing about.Just subscribe through my link.ground .news slash channel five.

It's in the pin comment and description box of the video, or you can scan the QR code on screen right now and you'll get a whopping 40 % off.the Vantage plan, bringing the cost down to less than five bucks a month.Andrew, that's a pretty good deal.It's probably what you're thinking, and you're goddamn right about that.Guys, stay informed, but most importantly, don't let the media tell you what to think.All right, back to the video.

Can you speak a little bit to the Filton 24 specifically?And I know some of them are on hunger strike right now.

It's really appalling, the treatment that the Filton 24 have received.Firstly, this was, Most of them were arrested way before Palestine action was prescribed.And the terrorism laws and terrorism powers were used against them and their family members.

The Filton 24 are young people who took it upon themselves to try and stop the violent crimes of the Israeli state where they, you know, slaughter Palestinians with drones.

What is your relation to the Filton 24?

So the Filton 24 are my co -defendants.or at least 23 of them are, as I am one of the 24.

There is another manhunt underway.This time we've got a Palestine Action protester who was given temporary bail to go to his brother's wedding for a few days.He's decided to go on the run and not come back to prison.

My name is Sean Middlebury, nicknamed Shibby.My current legal status is absconded, I guess, as a political prisoner at large with a four -star wanted level.

And can you describe the reason you were arrested and just how you ended up becoming a fugitive?

Yeah, so I was arrested because the British state formed a task force known as Operation Recomply.in order to crack down on Palestine's actionists and its supporters.

They cause very limited damage.If at all this is the case, it's proven they should be tried for criminal damage.But instead, the government is trying to incarcerate them under terrorist laws.And they're all very young.

Violent raids in the middle of the night, which the UN has actually called enforced disappearances.

AndAnd can you describe the conditions that you faced that followed your arrest?

So the conditions was taken to Coast Terrorism Police Station for three days, interrogated.I mean, it was treated as a terrorist.

How long were you in prison for?

I was in prison for 11 months.before I got my temporary bail to go to my brother's wedding and then absconded.

You say absconded, you didn't return on that bail?

Nah, nah, no way I would say.

What was your reasoning behind absconding from that sentence?

Yeah, so it's a simple fact of, you know, this whole Operation Recomply is about terrorizing people.and particularly the pro -Palestine movements in this country.And I wasn't going to play along with their strategy of showing that they can crack down on people and stop them from doing what is right.

And they've been denied their rights.They've been denied bail for over a year.

And several are now on a hunger strike.The only thing left for them is to put their lives on the line to create the change that needs to be seen in the world today.And that's just extremely sad.Do you know how long they've been on hunger strike?They started, some of them started on the 2nd of November.

If you want to know the character of the hunger strikers, you only have to look at what they're accused of, whether they did it or not.We all support direct action that disrupts an Israeli arms trade in order to end British complicity in genocide, even maybe dying from hunger striking speaks volumes.

They're all between the ages of 19 and 22.So please draw press attention to this, you know, because our media is silent.Our media is totally complicit.And our media is not talking about this.They just do the bidding of their political masters and whoever pays them.They have no integrity.

Oh, they say as someone is being carried out.What is the stated goal of the hunger strike?

They have five different goals.Some of them are quite basic, which is ending the censorship when they would receive mail from their family and friends, for example.And the last one of those five goals is to shut Albert down in this country.

Shut Albert down, right to a fair trial, the de -prescription of Palestine action, and of course, immediate bail.

And when you say right to a fair trial, do you feel you yourself and the rest of the Filiberto 24 have been denied that, right?Well, it's totally ludicrous.

They're like, there are legal defenses in this country that we should be entitled to.We weren't entitled to a fair trial.If we were, we'd have our legal defenses, for starters.We'd have bail, for starters.We'd be penalized.the whole way through.

And so we've already seen protests across the UK.We've got this one today.There are more scheduled throughout the week.Can you just speak to why this week specifically there are so many popping off?

Yeah, I mean, this is a very long term campaign.And so this represents a continuity.of people in this country challenging the genocide of Palestinian people, challenging Zionism and its occupation of Palestine, the dispossession of the Palestinian people, the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in general.So I think it's important to understand that the focus of all of this is the liberation of Palestine.This week in particular, because next week begins the judicial review on the prescription of Palestine Action.A judicial review is to review the legal process of finding Palestine Action a terrorist organization and banning it.

That means that one of the co -founders of Palestine Action is essentially taking the government to court, appealing that decision, and those judges will then decide whether the way the law was passed was in and of itself lawful or not.or unlawful.

a two billion pound defense contract to Elbit Systems.As for the challenge in court to the legality of calling Palestine action protesters terrorists, well, at first, the court ruled that the decision was unlawful and arrests had to stop, so no more arresting people for talking in the streets.But as we came to see, the British government was not about to go down without a fight, challenging the ruling, leading to the arrest of 500 more protesters back in April.Then in June, the whole thing was overturned by the UK Court of Appeals and free speech became illegal once again in the UK.Lastly, to the Filton 24.In February, six of them were found not guilty of aggravated burglary, which was the worst of their charges, and 22 out of the 24 were let out on bail.

Since then, though, the government has retried that group of six as terrorists, with four of them found guilty for criminal damage.They are now facing prison sentences ranging between five to eight years.Mr. Sean Shibby Middlebro, though, is still on the run.Oh, and Keir Starmer resigned, but that didn't really actually change much on the run.Alright, so now you're up to date.Let's get back in the field.

The real criminals are the ones in government who have been supporting this genocide and also the people who are building the armaments to kill people.Those are the people who should be in the dark.

Palestine Action's prescription is a reflex in order to desperately try to protect an Israeli arms trade in Britain that's on its last seeding legs.

The prescription happened after that incident on the RAF base.There wereproperty damages or damages done allegedly by the Fulton 24 on, in the factories.And like, obviously the government is describing those as the actions of a terrorist group.Like how would you describe those actions?

It's spray paint.It's red paint.Terrorism.It is like smashing up drones that are going to be used to literally terrorize a population and kill them and ethnically cleanse them.You know, that's it.expand settler colonialism.

Is that terrorism?No, the actual terrorism is what these factories, these companies and these weapons are being used for.

Adhering to what Francesca Albanese, a UN Special Rapporteur, who herself said that at least 600 ,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed.Other reports say that over 200 ,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, 20 ,000 children.at least 20 000 children in Gaza don't have two parents and at least 50 000 children in Gaza are missing one parent the audience watching i want you guys to think should these elderly men women majority being should they be the ones having to spend 24 hours in a cold cell for holding up a placard that reads i oppose genocide that prides himself to be a somewhat human rights lawyer.If we're targeting our right to protest, we would have never had any National Health Service to begin with because it was working class men, not Keir Starmer's children, not Rishi Sunak's children.It was the working class men in our communities that were going out to fight in World War I and in World War II and they returned.And they returned a lot of times without a limb, without a leg, and there was no health service.

So what did they do?They protested.They demand the right for a change in society.And that is how we have our national health service, in which the leaders want us to clap for, let alone giving them a pay rise for.It's disgusting.

If people want to continue living in a democracy, they need to stand up against this government and its unjust and illegal laws and not wait forto take action only when it affects them personally.You know, you need to do it for this country and for the welfare of everyone, because otherwise, doctor strikes may not happen.You know, union strikes may be told, may be considered legal.So don't wait for it to happen.

We can't rely on begging the so -called powers that be to bring about change and have our demands met.We have to to make it ourselves by taking direct action to force concessions.

This is a country that was barring women in general, as well as middle class, working class women.And it was the middle class women of the suffragette movement that carried out direct action.to ensure that they should have a right on the table and it shouldn't just be an elite man that as a result of the property that he owns is the reason why he can dictate politics.

The police are overwhelmed.Police don't have enough cells to fit 500 people when there were 500 people in protest.What they've decided, which I think is appalling, is they're going to try five people at a time and they're going to allow each person half an hour each to make their defense.So they've determined that they have a mass scale.They're going to try almost like a sausage factory to push people through the justice system, keeping in mind that these are people who are threatened with terrorist defenses.

I myself was accused and charged.I was found not guilty.But with Section 13, which is showing support or wearing something.My case was like I painted this huge banner.It shows the illegal West Bank wall, the apartheid wall, broken up in the middle.And there's a huge white dove flying through, holding the key, the symbol of the right to return for all refugees around the world and the word free flying over.

And we were like blocking off.There was some Zionists across the road.So we used the banner.block them off and they have to look at the picture the future of Palestine and then as soon as we're trying to wrap up the banner the police grabbed us and they said you you're under arrest under section 13 and we're like what's that and it's like it's a terrorism act but just the most amazing surreal reason why they arrested us was because So I depicted a blue sky, a clear blue sky, because it was quicker.I actually thought about putting some clouds.When I had my interview at three in the morning, my solicitor said like, you know what, this is bullshit.

She said the blue sky, that was the reason for the arrest, is the same as in Gaza on the 7th of October.This is how crazy they becoming.

How quickly were those charges then dropped?Five months and a half.You expect to be arrested today?

I do.In fact, I'm going to run back now to get arrested because I'm hoping I haven't missed my chance.

How do you feel about the fact that in being arrested, you're likely facing a terrorism charge and what that means for your life there afterwards?

Well, that is a risk I'm willing to take.It will not be a good outcome, but I'm not in this on my own.several thousands along with me.And so in I get my solidarity from them.So it is a risk that I am willing to take.

I don't know if I've not kind of, it's not clear, but the ridiculousness of arresting people like me under the Terrorism Act, I'm like, you know, it just doesn't feel like, it's nonsensical.We'll see what happens.I don't expect that I'll be in prison.I suspect I'll end up with a fine.

Most people who are holding signs will be arrested under what's called Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, and that is displaying support for a prescribed organization.Those people will almost never really see the inside of a prison cell.I think it would be very unlikely.And in fact, it would be practically impossible to put 2200 plus people in prison.What most of them will probably see is a fine.But the long term effect, the real issue is not the sentence itself.

It's the long term effect.A terrorist conviction can never be spent.So that will be on your record for the rest of your life.That will affect your employment.In the future, for example, that will affect your chances of travel.That will affect the sort of jobs you can get.

My family was totally scared.Every single one of us, we had no idea what they can do.You don't know.If they can arrest you for that, what can they do more?So for five months and a half, we were terrorized.

Which I think is one reason why we see a very different demographic taking part in these protests.They're often older people.who have seen that younger movement have put their lives on the line for Palestine action, for example.And now they see that them, people who are not concerned about getting a job, many of them are retired, people who are not concerned about traveling to Australia or the US are stepping up and saying this is now a moment for them to take responsibility.

I'm lucky because I'm very near retirement age.I mean, I am slightly worried about my job because I got arrested before and got caught on social media and I got in a lot of trouble.But my lovely manager saved my bacon.I don't know what's going to happen now, but I just felt I had to do it again.I'm so concerned about the laws that are being passed.So you were arrested for one of these actions before?

Yeah, on the 6th of September.

What would you say to people of any age who might be like -minded and agree with you about the prescription of Palestine action, but are afraid to be arrested, afraid of being labeled a terrorist?

You're not alone.That is all I can say.And I can understand everyone has, you know, their individual reservations.and fears.If they even just come and watch what's happening and listen to people and perhaps open their eyes to you know, what is actually happening and reflect on their role in the society, then they might reconsider.

Second so come gather around because we got a history as whitewashed as the paper I write on colonial custodial Protecting the white ones and if only you'll believe it when you're faced with the lies gone because you'll hashtag black lives matter But are you ready to fight son?

What's worse is that they want to blow up the doors of Afghanistan and Iraq in the name of democracy They say they want to save the women of Iraq by killing more women in Iraq.They want to liberate gay communities in Gaza by destroying and killing people that may be gay in Gaza.It's hypocrisy at its finest and you can't fool us.We grew up in that generation and what we're going to be is well -versed, what we're going to be is well -articulated, because this is what they fear.They fear education.They fear those that not only have that ability to understand the events, but also revise those very same events, revise that narrative.

And when we revise that narrative and we have conversations like this, it enacts change.

I believe we are on the right side of history.And that I think alone is enough and one has to live according to one's conscience.You know, we're living in a supposedly first world country and it's just by luck we happen to be here.And if we are not able to reach out and support people who are being oppressed and to stand against injustice, thencan we even call ourselves civilized?

Your actions since you've been free, whether it's posting on social media, giving interviews like this, are not one you would normally associate with a government fugitive?Do you expect to be caught by the British government?And what do you hope to accomplish while you're free?

Yeah, it's pretty unreal doing this interview and all this after being in a box for 11 months.I'm not going to lie to you.JPA.I would say however that generally speaking fugitives are not political prisoners who can illuminate the complicity and crimes against humanity that Britain is engaged in every day as it supports a genocide in Palestine.Naturally also people like to see that the state is not an omnipotent force but we can liberate ourselves from oppression.while speaking up for what is right and oppression elsewhere.

Have you ever been arrested before?

Yes, I have.

What were you arrested for previously?

A similar action in October.

Could you speak quickly to what your experience was like being arrested the last time in October?

It was perfectly pleasant.

Met police, have perfectly polite, you know, shrewd, you know, I have to say that it's such a uniquely British perspective that I cannot say to...I've witnessed a lot of protests and arrests happen in the United States, but this is a much more polite environment and interaction between protesters and police than anything I've ever witnessed.

Well, in the U .S.you'll get shot.You'll be shot.

So, like, two months ago -ish, kind of early September, you know, I sort of, like, crept downstairs, heard these knocks at the door, looked out, and there's, like, ten counter -terrorism police at my door which is like not what you want to see at 7am 10 10 officers yeah seriously i mean i look at you and i think

that's a threat.

Yeah.But yeah, they were counter -terrorism police because I was arrested under the Terrorism Act.Handcuffed me at the door.Yeah, this is what happens.Britain in 2025.Took me across London to the special, like, counter -terrorism unit they have.

What were the conditions like there?I don't want to sort of be like, oh, poor me.Like, it was shit.You know, like, I was held for three days in solitary.

Three days in solitary?Yeah.Is that no human contact?Like, what does that actually look like?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.So, like, a lot of human contact with police officers and so like they come in and they sort of open a slit and check you're still alive every hour you see a doctor you know like I got food and stuff I mean that funnily enough there's like a TV in my cell which is kind of crazy okay so but it's you alone in a cell with a TV with a TV that I couldn't control and they were just like chuck on random shit like wait so you can't control it they're just throwing you look like you like Harry Potter and we're just like put on the whole Harry Potter That is the most British arrest experience I could possibly imagine.

And are you still pending charges on that?Do you know will you have to pay a fine?

I will have to go and attend the police station sometime next year.So yes, that's pending.

All right.Well, best of luck.And I appreciate you being willing to speak to me and best of luck today.We have police officers standing over us.It seems like ready to move forward.So I will get out of your way.

So there is one counter protester here.It doesn't seem like he wants to speak to us, which is unfortunate.Nothing.The sign says it all, doesn't it?

You're going to get hurt if you stay here.I'm not.You are.Can you go and stand over there, please?

His belly is bumping into everyone.

You're going to attract unwanted attention to yourself.Go and stand over there, please.Thank you very much for your concern.I appreciate your concern.I'm not worried.These are all lovely people.

I'm sure they don't want to hurt me, and I don't want to hurt them.I can't physically drag you, but if something happens, you understand the consequences.

Thank you for your concern.

I appreciate your concern, sir.

Are you guys able to speak at all today about what's going on?No, you know we're not.

I have to ask, though, right?You could ask, but you know you're not going to get an answer.

Do I know that entirely?to be respectful to culture because I am here as a visitor, but I don't know the norms already.This is a much more polite environment between police and protesters than anything we would get in the States.

I was going to say, are you from the States?Yeah.

I'm from New York.

Cool.

And our police are a little more aggressive, I would say, in terms of how they carry anything out.

I'm not going to comment on that.

But I appreciate the general politeness at these protests.It is a foreign concept to me, quite literally.

I'm like the nicest officer there is.Is this live streaming, by the way?No, it's not.No, I'm not going to give it away.

For freedom and for justice, we shall not be moved.For freedom and for justice, we shall not be moved.Just like a tree that's standing by the water, we shall not be moved.Till the siege is ended, we shall not be moved.Till the siege is ended, we shall not be moved just like a tree that's standing by the water.We shall not be moved.

So the protest is starting to die down.Many people have been carried out and arrested.We got a lot of perspectives from Brits, from foreigners who were living here, spoke with the police, some counter protesters, even found a rapper.So thrilled we found a rapper out here in London.Anyways, we've been having a bang on time in the UK.I really, really hope this video does not get me deported or banned from the UK.

I really would like to come back.This has been J .P.Scatini in London, England.I've got a question for you.

Are you a terrorist?Channel 5 live worldwide, baby.

Hey, what's up guys?Andrew here.I hope you enjoyed the episode.I had fun making this video.And I had fun making something else too.As of today.

right now.Channel 5 has launched its own streaming service outside of the big four social media platforms.Total digital algorithmic freedom, baby.And it's called C5 Now.Not today, not tomorrow, but right the hell now.And it's something we established with the sole purpose of giving other documentary filmmakers the chance to have their work out there and get paid while doing it with a very fair revenue share without having to go through Hollywood and be subject to the ridiculous non -scripted film mandates that have pushed aside great documentaries to prioritize more Tom Brady, Taylor Swift, or Ted Bundy slop documentary content.

Again, our platform is live right now at C5 .now on your web browser or as an app on your smart TV and phone.We plan to publish a new film every single week from now until the rest of eternity and have currently loaded up five bangers to get things moving.The first film was called The Art of Protest by our friends over at IndieClub.It's a wild ride.The second film is called Starcash by Haley Garagas.

Another wild ride through Wall Street, as told by the astrologist who actually called the shots up in that bitch.The third is a profile documentary on the legendary physicist Gabor Mate by Asher Pan called Position Heal Thyself.The fourth is called Rat Film by Theo Anthony, which is a sick -ass movie about Baltimore's rat population.Then the fifth documentary up there is my own, called Finding Orson, which up until now has never been seen.Here's the official trailer.

My name is Andrew Callaghan, and this is my story.about a man who misses his parents.

Baby!Baby!Baby!I mean, where does he get this stuff?Maybe we should go circling that area.My name is Rick Shore, but it's going to be changed very shortly by a judge to Raphael, which is Hebrew for God heals.

Baby!Baby.Hello, baby.

Orson.

This beautiful little parrot got his beak torn off, so he has trouble eating a little bit.

It's the animal soul and my soul communicating telepathically.I can communicate with any animal.Birds, cats, dogs, horses.

I need him back, man.It used to be called bird brain, was a condescending thing to call a person because people thought that birds had small brains.

The term bird brain, who started it?And what's the agenda?Because obviously there's an agenda at play.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

I think we should roll with it, man.They're trying to keep us away from what could be the strongest bond in the animal kingdom.

They?You think it's conspiratorial?I think it's a deep state cabal.

Deep state?Don't go there.That's proof.Of dog lovers who are connected to the ASPCA and probably funded by the kennels themselves.Think about Petco.There's a dog in the logo.

Who owns Petco?Blackwater.What do they do?Finance the Iraq war.Provide CS tear gas for the National Guard in Portland.You're in a role, dude.

I just care, man. I just care about the birds.You just care about the birds?Think about it.When's the first time you heard bird brain?And when's the first time you heard someone refer to a dog as man's best friend?You think the dog came up with this?

No.Think about all the films like Air Bud, where they promote a human canine union.What do you think the likelihood is that we'll find our friend's bird.

To him, Orson symbolized more than just the loss of a pet.

They were best friends, and Orson was the only living creature he had left.who told Rick that he was loved.