The Middle East conflict

[Killingworth]

I think it's time he was Amendment 25'd as soon as possible.

It's clear he's a vacuous imbecile with less intelligence than an average 10 year old.

That may be true but there are worrying similarities with the career of AH. Both elected and both carried along by self delusion and with an effective and successful challenge hard to mount. The majority silent until it's too late.

The mid terms may bring some relief but unless the Democrats can unite behind very strong leadership the prospect of sound and stable US government any time soon seems somwhat optimistic. And sadly the the same goes for the UK.

 

[nw1]

That may be true but there are worrying similarities with the career of AH. Both elected and both carried along by self delusion and with an effective and successful challenge hard to mount. The majority silent until it's too late.

The mid terms may bring some relief but unless the Democrats can unite behind very strong leadership the prospect of sound and stable US government any time soon seems somwhat optimistic. And sadly the the same goes for the UK.

One would hope that the UK would pick up on what's going on in the US and not make the same kind of mistake. There can be few UK voters who actively support what Trump is doing.

Mind you the next election here is anyone's guess. The current government aren't very popular, but then again neither are the alternatives. I suppose that underlines your point about a lack of stable government, as no party will surely get anywhere near a majority and we'll end up with some kind of coalition - it's just a question of what kind.

 

[Yew]

Any US Navy ship in the straits risks being an easy target for Iranian missiles, should the Iranians decide to target it.

I'm not sure that's correct, a sitting oil tanker is an easy target. A fleet of warships, each armed with some of the most sophisticated radars, missiles, and radar guided defence systems is certainly not.

If anything, the concern is not missiles, but conserving ammunition whilst defending against drones.

 

[dgl]

One would hope that the UK would pick up on what's going on in the US and not make the same kind of mistake. There can be few UK voters who actively support what Trump is doing.

Mind you the next election here is anyone's guess. The current government aren't very popular, but then again neither are the alternatives. I suppose that underlines your point about a lack of stable government, as no party will surely get anywhere near a majority and we'll end up with some kind of coalition - it's just a question of what kind.

You don't tell the Turkey's that they are getting eaten at Christmas. you just talk about everything else.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

British Journalist Steve Sweeney, wearing a PRESS jacket, nearly gets killed by an Israeli rocket strike in Southern Lebanon, striking only metres away from where he stood. Footage here:

This is the moment our member and dear comrade Steve Sweeney was almost killed by the Israeli Zionists, acting hand in glove with US and British Imperialism.

Steve has been reporting on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. His news pierces the imperialist-Zionist Propaganda. Here he was making an on-the-grou...more

Never heard about it on any mainstream media. Instead I found out about it yesterday because Steve joined Tucker Carlson on his podcast. Very interesting interview - in summary, what’s happening in Southern Lebanon is just a copy of what’s happened/ing in Gaza.

 

[brad465]

Never heard about it on any mainstream media. Instead I found out about it yesterday because Steve joined Tucker Carlson on his podcast. Very interesting interview - in summary, what’s happening in Southern Lebanon is just a copy of what’s happened/ing in Gaza.

Carlson was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire this morning, and apparently said "it's illegal to criticise Israel in the UK". While probably not quite that black and white, it's one of the very few things I actually agree with him on.

Tucker Carlson claims it is illegal in Britain to criticise Israel

Tucker Carlson claimed that people in Britain can be arrested for "criticising Israel" as he clashed with Victoria Derbyshire. The former MAGA faithful, whose feud with Donald Trump has escalated, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: " It is illegal. It is a crime for which you can be arrested in...

www.independent.co.uk

Tucker Carlson claims it is illegal in Britain to criticise Israel​

Tucker Carlson claimed that people in Britain can be arrested for "criticising Israel" as he clashed with Victoria Derbyshire.
The former MAGA faithful, whose feud with Donald Trump has escalated, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: " It is illegal. It is a crime for which you can be arrested in Britain right now – criticising Israel.  If you say you're for Palestine Action, you can be arrested."
Derbyshire interjected to counteract Carlson’s claim that it is illegal to criticise Israel, and pointed out that Palestine Action is a proscribed group.
In March, the Metropolitan Police police said officers would resume arresting suspected Palestine Action supporters, as a High Court battle over the ban on the group continues.
The Metropolitan Police paused arrests of suspected Palestine Action supporters in February after the High Court ruled the government’s ban was unlawful, but later decided to resume as an appeal against the ruling is likely to take several months.

 

[Annetts key]

I'm not sure that's correct, a sitting oil tanker is an easy target. A fleet of warships, each armed with some of the most sophisticated radars, missiles, and radar guided defence systems is certainly not.

If anything, the concern is not missiles, but conserving ammunition whilst defending against drones.

Not convinced, the channels may be mined, there is limited room for manoeuvring (there is a risk of grounding if you go outside the deep water channels), there are multiple risks of attack (mines of various types, various types of missiles, FPV drones, boat drones, human operated speedboats) many of which could be used in multiple to overwhelm a warships defences. Said defences (radars, radar guided missiles and guns) are intended for use on the open ocean, not in a channel surrounded by rugged terrain (which reduces the effectiveness of radar).

And, apparently, neither is the U.S. Navy, or indeed, any other "western" navy, as none have had any warships venture into the Strait of Hormuz (as far as I know).

Unfortunately for Trump, the only realistic solution is to negotiate (in good faith) and give Iran some things it wants. Unfortunately for the rest of the world (apart from Israel), we are depending on Trump coming to the realisation that Iran have got him by the goolies, either he backs down and gives Iran some of the things it wants, or Iran doesn’t play ball, and the international oil markets (and other markets that use the Strait of Hormuz) will continue with high prices, causing high gasolene prices in the U.S., higher food prices in the U.S., and higher inflation in the U.S., all of which will ensure that the Republican party does badly in the November mid-term elections.

Remember, at the moment, the Iranian leadership doesn’t care about it's people, so there being no Iranian oil tankers operating would be seen as a small price to pay if they can put maximum economic pressure on Trump...

And they now know that Trump, like most bullies, will back down when put under enough pressure.

As it happens, I think the damage to Trump and the Republicans in the U.S. is already too much, and they will now do badly in the November mid-term elections regardless of what Trump does or doesn’t do now.

 

[Gloster]

British Journalist Steve Sweeney, wearing a PRESS jacket, nearly gets killed by an Israeli rocket strike in Southern Lebanon, striking only metres away from where he stood. Footage here:

Never heard about it on any mainstream media. Instead I found out about it yesterday because Steve joined Tucker Carlson on his podcast. Very interesting interview - in summary, what’s happening in Southern Lebanon is just a copy of what’s happened/ing in Gaza.

It was on the BBC newssite a day or two later, complete with video. He works for RT, formerly Russia Today, the Russian state-owned company and was previously with the Morning Star. Strange bedfellows.

 

[The Ham]

Carlson was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire this morning, and apparently said "it's illegal to criticise Israel in the UK". While probably not quite that black and white, it's one of the very few things I actually agree with him on.

Tucker Carlson claims it is illegal in Britain to criticise Israel

Tucker Carlson claimed that people in Britain can be arrested for "criticising Israel" as he clashed with Victoria Derbyshire. The former MAGA faithful, whose feud with Donald Trump has escalated, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: " It is illegal. It is a crime for which you can be arrested in...

www.independent.co.uk

Oh, that's not good news for our PM then:

Starmer calls Israel’s Lebanon attacks ‘wrong’ as he calls for them to ‘stop’

www.independent.co.uk

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned Israeli strikes on Lebanon as "wrong" and insisted they "should stop" during a diplomatic visit to Gulf nations.

Keir Starmer calls Israel’s recent actions in Gaza ‘appalling and intolerable’

PM tells MPs he is considering imposing sanctions on Israeli government members but is resisting ban on arms sales

www.theguardian.com

Keir Starmer has called Israel’s recent actions in Gaza “appalling, counterproductive and intolerable”, as the UK government comes under mounting pressure to take stronger action after the killings of dozens of civilians at food points in recent days.

I suspect that you would find that if such criticism of Israel was illegal then the prisons in the UK would be rather full of others who would be less tactful when it came to the actions of the Israeli government when attacking Gaza and Lebanon - whist still being upset at the attack on Israel when the hostages were taken.

In that most people can understand that a disproportionate attack on millions of people isn't in the same league as what was done to them and hasn't really resulted in it being safer than it was previously (in fact arguably with learning being online in Israel and people needing to beable to shelter from attacks from drones it's fairly easy to argue is currently less safe).

Does saying that make me antisemitic? Probably only if I were not to be critical of others following a similar path. Given my stance on the great and glorious leader (may he live forever) who's doing things which aren't great and I would be just as critical of (potential more so) I don't think I need to worry about a visit from the police anytime soon (and nor does our PM).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Carlson was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire this morning, and apparently said "it's illegal to criticise Israel in the UK". While probably not quite that black and white, it's one of the very few things I actually agree with him on.

Tucker Carlson claims it is illegal in Britain to criticise Israel

Tucker Carlson claimed that people in Britain can be arrested for "criticising Israel" as he clashed with Victoria Derbyshire. The former MAGA faithful, whose feud with Donald Trump has escalated, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: " It is illegal. It is a crime for which you can be arrested in...

www.independent.co.uk

It's illegal to support Palestine Action as it is a proscribed organisation, but it is not illegal to criticise Israel. I don't see how you can connect the two in that way.

 

[dosxuk]

It's illegal to support Palestine Action as it is a proscribed organisation, but it is not illegal to criticise Israel. I don't see how you can connect the two in that way.

It's easy if you specialise in rage-bait to the right

 

[DarloRich]

He is treading a very dangerous line with the midterms coming up. The economy is absolutely the key issue in American politics and always has been in the postwar era.

The people who matter will be making money out of this mess!

Carlson was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire this morning, and apparently said "it's illegal to criticise Israel in the UK". While probably not quite that black and white,

That's not true though is it?

 

[AlterEgo]

Carlson was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire this morning, and apparently said "it's illegal to criticise Israel in the UK". While probably not quite that black and white, it's one of the very few things I actually agree with him on.

It's not illegal to criticise Israel; we are doing it openly in this thread.

 

[najaB]

Never heard about it on any mainstream media. Instead I found out about it yesterday because Steve joined Tucker Carlson on his podcast. Very interesting interview - in summary, what’s happening in Southern Lebanon is just a copy of what’s happened/ing in Gaza.

I first heard about it on Sky News.

 

[Dave61]

British Journalist Steve Sweeney, wearing a PRESS jacket, nearly gets killed by an Israeli rocket strike in Southern Lebanon, striking only metres away from where he stood. Footage here:

Never heard about it on any mainstream media. Instead I found out about it yesterday because Steve joined Tucker Carlson on his podcast. Very interesting interview - in summary, what’s happening in Southern Lebanon is just a copy of what’s happened/ing in Gaza.

When did it happen? BBC Verify had one a few weeks ago with a strike close to a reporter showing that it was not an AI fake, do wonder if it is the same one.

 

[AlterEgo]

When did it happen? BBC Verify had one a few weeks ago with a strike close to a reporter showing that it was not an AI fake, do wonder if it is the same one.

This is the same incident. It was widely reported across multiple sources.

 

[Dave61]

This is the same incident. It was widely reported across multiple sources.

Finally found it:

Lebanon: Missile lands next to presenter during live report

In footage from Russian state broadcaster RT, correspondent Steve Sweeney is seen diving off screen as a missile hits.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[ainsworth74]

It's not illegal to criticise Israel; we are doing it openly in this thread.

Yes, I think it's important to not let ourselves runaway with things here. I am deeply deeply suspicious of the proscription of Palestine Action (I do not feel the Home Office has made the case that this is a dangerous organisation on the level of a Al Qaeda or Hezbollah, instead it basically seems to be "Trust me bro, these are bad dudes") and find it ludicrous that the Met seem to be occupying themselves with arresting grannies as a consequence of this ill justified and thought through proscription.

But that is not the same thing as it being illegal to criticise Israel and its government. That's playing into a very similar strain of right-wing nuttery (just from the left this time) that wangs on about people being imprisoned for innocent Facebook comments.

There is absolute a live discussion and issue with freedom of speech and expression and how this all works in the modern world. But lets not start start inventing oppression where none exists.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

It was on the BBC newssite a day or two later, complete with video. He works for RT, formerly Russia Today, the Russian state-owned company and was previously with the Morning Star. Strange bedfellows.

I first heard about it on Sky News.

Thanks both for clarifying

 

[Tetchytyke]

Of course criticising Israel isn't illegal.

However, if you do choose to vocally criticise Israel then you will very quickly find yourself in the crosshairs of people who will do everything in their power to make your life very difficult indeed.

There is an organisation named UK Lawyers for Israel whose entire reason for existing is this:

HOME

Latest News Read the latest news from UK Lawyers for Israel PRESS HERE FOR NEWSBriefing Notes on Armed Conflicts Summaries by UKLFI Charitable Trust of key legal and factual issues relating to recent armed conflicts PRESS HERE FOR BRIEFING NOTESOur Mission We are an association of lawyers who suppor

www.uklfi.com

UKLFI is an association of lawyers who support Israel using their legal skills.

We employ advocacy, legal research and campaigning to support Israel, Israeli organisations, Israelis, and/or supporters of Israel against BDS and other attempts to undermine, attack or delegitimise them.

There's a fine line between 'criticism' and 'undermine'.

Take the comedian Reginald D Hunter as an example. The Campaign Against Antisemitism brought a private prosecution against him because of his criticism of Israel.

Reginald D Hunter: Judge quashes antisemitism case brought by Campaign Against Antisemitism

A judge says the Campaign Against Antisemitism's private prosecution was intended to get Hunter "cancelled".

www.bbc.co.uk

On Tuesday, District Judge Michael Snow quashed a summons for Hunter, ruling that the CAA was seeking to use the criminal justice system for "improper reasons".

"The CAA have demonstrated by the misleading and partial way in which it summarised its application and its wilful, repeated, failure to meet its disclosure obligations, that its true and sole motive in seeking to prosecute Reginald Hunter is to have him cancelled," he wrote.

"I have no doubt that the prosecution is abusive," Judge Snow added at the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

"My view of the conduct of the CAA is consistent with them as an organisation which is not 'playing it straight' but is seeking to use the criminal justice system, in this case for improper reasons."

Now the case against him was thrown out, but it has cost him time and money to have the case against him thrown out. And there's the reputational damage against him too- there is evidence to show that the muck being flung at him has, to an extent, stuck. It always does. When I search his name and the word 'antisemitism', the search results are about the Campaign Against Antisemitism bringing the prosecution, not about it being thrown out for being abusive.

And what Hunter has said was fairly tame. The likes of Kneecap and Bobby Vylan are pretty much unbookable now. And look at what's happened to the Wireless Festival.

It's all very McCarthyite. And I compare this to McCarthyism deliberately. It wasn't illegal to be a left-winger in 1950s America, but if you were you'd find yourself having a very tough time of it all. After all, the best censorship is the censorship that someone carries out in their own head before they put their fingers on their keyboard.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Apr 2026 ==

I am deeply deeply suspicious of the proscription of Palestine Action (I do not feel the Home Office has made the case that this is a dangerous organisation on the level of a Al Qaeda or Hezbollah, instead it basically seems to be "Trust me bro, these are bad dudes")

Palestine Action were proscribed because they were annoying Elbit Systems. Private Eye has reported on the heavy lobbying from the Israeli government about it.

 

[ainsworth74]

Of course criticising Israel isn't illegal.

However, if you do choose to vocally criticise Israel then you will very quickly find yourself in the crosshairs of people who will do everything in their power to make your life very difficult indeed.

There is an organisation named UK Lawyers for Israel whose entire reason for existing is this:

HOME

Latest News Read the latest news from UK Lawyers for Israel PRESS HERE FOR NEWSBriefing Notes on Armed Conflicts Summaries by UKLFI Charitable Trust of key legal and factual issues relating to recent armed conflicts PRESS HERE FOR BRIEFING NOTESOur Mission We are an association of lawyers who suppor

www.uklfi.com

There's a fine line between 'criticism' and 'undermine'.

Take the comedian Reginald D Hunter as an example. The Campaign Against Antisemitism brought a private prosecution against him because of his criticism of Israel.

Reginald D Hunter: Judge quashes antisemitism case brought by Campaign Against Antisemitism

A judge says the Campaign Against Antisemitism's private prosecution was intended to get Hunter "cancelled".

www.bbc.co.uk

Now the case against him was thrown out, but it has cost him time and money to have the case against him thrown out. And there's the reputational damage against him too- there is evidence to show that the muck being flung at him has, to an extent, stuck. It always does. When I search his name and the word 'antisemitism', the search results are about the Campaign Against Antisemitism bringing the prosecution, not about it being thrown out for being abusive.

And what Hunter has said was fairly tame. The likes of Kneecap and Bobby Vylan are pretty much unbookable now.

Yes come back into issues of private prosecutions for criminal offences and also the weak state of anti-SLAAP legislation in the UK. Makes it very easy to make peoples lives miserable using laws which we should have on the books but are easily abused to make sure that people that espouse things you disagree with or would prefer remain silent are forced into doing so or face ruinous legal costs.

And look at what's happened to the Wireless Festival.

I mean Kanye West has said some utterly abhorrent antisemitic things most famously in an interview on InfoWars with Alex Jones when he had such choice quotes as:

I see good things about Hitler also. I love everyone. Jewish people are not going to tell me you can love us, and you can love what we’re doing to you with the contracts, and you can love what we’re pushing with the pornography. But this guy that invented highways, invented the very microphone that I use as a musician, you can’t say out loud that this person ever did anything good, and I’m done with that.

I like Hitler.

They did good things too, we've got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time.

I don't like the word evil next to Nazis. I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis.

He didn’t kill six million Jews. That's just factually incorrect. The Holocaust is not what happened. Let's look at the facts of that. Hitler has a lot of redeeming qualities.

I'm done with the classifications. Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table. Especially Hitler.

And then on Twitter:

I'm never apologizing for my Jewish comments

I'm a Nazi

I love Hitler now what bitches

Some of my best friends are Jewish and I don't trust any of them

Elon stole my Nazi swag at the inauguration

He has of course since retracted these comments, apologised for them, and suggested they were manic outbursts as part of a bipolar diagnosis he was coming to terms with (though of the bipolar people I've known they've not usually fallen into Holocaust denial or declared their love of Hitler). But Kanye West still being considered persona non gratia and therefore refused a visa to perform at a music festival doesn't really feel quite the same as some of the other more problematic examples of the chilling effect via prosecutions/legal threats that some people who criticise Israel have faced.

That the Wireless festival were foolish enough to wager the viability of their entire event on someone like Kanye West seems to me to be more a reflection of their own poor judgement and planning than any wider issues!

Palestine Action were proscribed because they were annoying Elbit Systems. Private Eye has reported on the heavy lobbying from the Israeli government about it.

Indeed, it stinks. I have no real love for Palestine Action and think they got extremely lucky to not get successfully prosecuted for that break-in considering what they got up to in the video footage that was released and the injuries they inflicted on on the police officers. But it proscribe the whole organisation for "really good reasons, swear down 'guv if only you could see what we could see you'd agree with us that they're baddies that mean we need to cart off grannies in handcuffs every weekend from outside Parliament"? Sure...

 

[najaB]

And what Hunter has said was fairly tame. The likes of Kneecap and Bobby Vylan are pretty much unbookable now. And look at what's happened to the Wireless Festival.

To be fair, it really wasn't very wise of them to book Kanye as their headliner. His star has very much set - he's not had a solo number one single in almost a decade, and has attracted a lot of negative press attention due to his closeness to the DJT administration, his holocaust denial and pro-Hitler statements, and his comments around undocumented immigrants in the USA.

I don't see how he could have been a net positive for promoting ticket sales.

 

[Yew]

Not convinced, the channels may be mined, there is limited room for manoeuvring (there is a risk of grounding if you go outside the deep water channels), there are multiple risks of attack (mines of various types, various types of missiles, FPV drones, boat drones, human operated speedboats) many of which could be used in multiple to overwhelm a warships defences. Said defences (radars, radar guided missiles and guns) are intended for use on the open ocean, not in a channel surrounded by rugged terrain (which reduces the effectiveness of radar).

None of those threats are ones that do not have countermeasures. And whilst the straight is narrow in terms of sea-lanes, it is still over 30km wide.

And, apparently, neither is the U.S. Navy, or indeed, any other "western" navy, as none have had any warships venture into the Strait of Hormuz (as far as I know).

I'm not aware of any occasions during this conflict, which is understandable due to operational security, but western navy vessels operating in the area during previous periods of tension has happened before.

Similarly, given that we're currently in talks about escorting vessels in the area, suggests that this is not some outright impossibility.

 

[Tetchytyke]

But Kanye West still being considered persona non gratia and therefore refused a visa to perform at a music festival doesn't really feel quite the same as some of the other more problematic examples of the chilling effect via prosecutions/legal threats that some people who criticise Israel have faced.

To be fair, it really wasn't very wise of them to book Kanye as their headliner.

I was not as aware as perhaps I should be of the ins and outs of what Kanye West had said. I’d just seen it referred to as anti-semitism. He’s always been a nasty piece of work, so I can’t say I’m particularly surprised. He’s no great loss to the country.

But then again, he’s certainly not the only prominent musician with “problematic” views. Eric Clapton was so vile that Rock Against Racism was created in response, but he’s not cancelled. David Bowie also went a bit too Hitler-adjacent in the late 70s, although in fairness to him that almost certainly will have been due to the drugs.

I have no real love for Palestine Action and think they got extremely lucky to not get successfully prosecuted for that break-in considering what they got up to in the video footage that was released and the injuries they inflicted on on the police officers.

Proscription backfired on the government with that.

The police seemed to be the architects of their own misfortune, and the videos released afterwards were rather selective. But we’ll never know why the jury chose to acquit, however I get the impression it was more of a conscience decision than anything else.

Would a jury have acquitted if Palestine Action hadn’t been proscribed? I can’t help but think they wouldn’t.

 

[najaB]

But then again, he’s certainly not the only prominent musician with “problematic” views. Eric Clapton was so vile that Rock Against Racism was created in response, but he’s not cancelled.

The whole concept of people being "canceled" is getting tiresome. Kanye/Wheelie/Ye was perfectly free to say what he wanted, make whatever music he wanted, and hold whatever views he wanted. Until it crossed over into hate speech, of course.

And record labels, show promoters, etc. are free to book or not book him (the fact that he's not banned from entering the country notwithstanding).

The fact that they have read the room and realised that they're not going to get the return on investment by booking him isn't some cancellation conspiracy from the woke-illuminatti, it's simple business.

 

[AlterEgo]

The whole concept of people being "canceled" is getting tiresome. Kanye/Wheelie/Ye was perfectly free to say what he wanted, make whatever music he wanted, and hold whatever views he wanted. Until it crossed over into hate speech, of course.

Just to note that Kanye is American and there is no restriction on simple hate speech there. He was free to say whatever he wanted. He is just finding that holding those views and saying those things has consequences though.

 

[The exile]

If the USA had control over one of the world's maritime pinch points, do you think Trump would pass up the opportunity to charge for passage?

Wasn’t he making noises at some point about control of the Panama Canal having been handed back? Or was I just imagining that?

 

[nw1]

While it's not illegal, I do believe you have to be careful about who you criticise the Israeli government to, because as others have said, some take it to be "antisemitism" - which is of course nonsense. It's the sort of thing one probably wouldn't say to untrusted work colleagues, for example.

Crazy really, would criticising Erdogan for example make you an Islamophobe? Criticising Mugabe make you an anti-Black racist? All very manipulative IMO and those that promote defamatory "antisemitism" allegations are in my opinion trying to silence criticism of the regime.

Contrast Orbán and Fidesz, who have allegations of genuine antisemitism levelled against them yet are best friends with Netanyahu. Orbán is of course best buddies with Trump and on good terms with Putin, too. The authoritarians all stick together it seems. One of them is gone at least, hopefully the start of a trend.

 

[ainsworth74]

Proscription backfired on the government with that.

The police seemed to be the architects of their own misfortune, and the videos released afterwards were rather selective. But we’ll never know why the jury chose to acquit, however I get the impression it was more of a conscience decision than anything else.

Would a jury have acquitted if Palestine Action hadn’t been proscribed? I can’t help but think they wouldn’t.

Absolutely. I watched the body cam footage that was released and it seemed open and shut to me (quite apart from all the attackers being whiny as anything and seemingly surprised the police weren't on their side). So clearly something impelled the jury to go the other way. The most obvious thing is, of course, the heavy handed proscription of Palestine Action...

 

[dgl]

With Israel it seems one must note that being punched in the face does not give one carte blanch to punch other people in the face without repercussions, and criticism of that is completely acceptable.