madoc cairns
@madoc.bsky.social
writer, editor at plough magazine, personalist, catholic.
awaiting the cossacks and the holy spirit
awaiting the cossacks and the holy spirit
Mike Higgins, who is blind and wheelchair bound, has joined today’s protest against the Palestine Action ban after being arrested at the last.
He, and over 1000 others, risk arrest as a “terrorist” & up to 14 years in prison for displaying seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION
He, and over 1000 others, risk arrest as a “terrorist” & up to 14 years in prison for displaying seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION
September 6, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Mike Higgins, who is blind and wheelchair bound, has joined today’s protest against the Palestine Action ban after being arrested at the last.
He, and over 1000 others, risk arrest as a “terrorist” & up to 14 years in prison for displaying seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION
He, and over 1000 others, risk arrest as a “terrorist” & up to 14 years in prison for displaying seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION
One of the largest acts of civil disobedience in British history is currently underway in Parliament Square, with over 1000 protestors risking arrest & jail time as ‘terrorists’ for public display of seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION.
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION.
September 6, 2025 at 2:16 PM
One of the largest acts of civil disobedience in British history is currently underway in Parliament Square, with over 1000 protestors risking arrest & jail time as ‘terrorists’ for public display of seven words:
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION.
I OPPOSE GENOCIDE. I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION.
The number of children a single BBC investigation found to have been killed by IDF snipers (90+) is more than double the number of children killed on October 7 & falls within the lower estimates of the number of children killed by Hamas over the organisation's entire history
August 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The number of children a single BBC investigation found to have been killed by IDF snipers (90+) is more than double the number of children killed on October 7 & falls within the lower estimates of the number of children killed by Hamas over the organisation's entire history
The UK in 2025: it’s now a terrorist offence, carrying a sentence of up to fourteen years in prison, to hold this cartoon from Private Eye
July 19, 2025 at 8:21 PM
The UK in 2025: it’s now a terrorist offence, carrying a sentence of up to fourteen years in prison, to hold this cartoon from Private Eye
Palestine Action is the first large-scale direct action campaign in British history I can think of where a large majority of Britons share their aims and only a tiny majority those of the government
July 15, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Palestine Action is the first large-scale direct action campaign in British history I can think of where a large majority of Britons share their aims and only a tiny majority those of the government
Police in Canterbury today informed a protestor that the phrase "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" could be considered a declaration of support for Palestine Action and therefore a terrorism offence.
July 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Police in Canterbury today informed a protestor that the phrase "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" could be considered a declaration of support for Palestine Action and therefore a terrorism offence.
Alasdair MacIntyre on Aquinas, the modern state, and our duty to disobey unjust laws:
July 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Alasdair MacIntyre on Aquinas, the modern state, and our duty to disobey unjust laws:
And they'll survive by ceasing to exist. Cell groups split apart can reorganise and recombine, and if you take exactly the same actions you won't (per the High Court) have PA membership held against you. In this sense, the PA proscription is of genuinely limited use. Except in one respect.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
And they'll survive by ceasing to exist. Cell groups split apart can reorganise and recombine, and if you take exactly the same actions you won't (per the High Court) have PA membership held against you. In this sense, the PA proscription is of genuinely limited use. Except in one respect.
Similar groups historically were over issues about which public opinion was at best split. This is the first time I can think of where, over the issue in question, the UK government is defending a minority opinion against a much larger majority more aligned with PA’s views.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Similar groups historically were over issues about which public opinion was at best split. This is the first time I can think of where, over the issue in question, the UK government is defending a minority opinion against a much larger majority more aligned with PA’s views.
Palestine action is single issue: you have to be repulsed by the horrors taking place in Gaza, and to want to do anything you can to get them to stop. That is, by now, a lot of people, which is, IMO, one underlying motivation for the ban.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Palestine action is single issue: you have to be repulsed by the horrors taking place in Gaza, and to want to do anything you can to get them to stop. That is, by now, a lot of people, which is, IMO, one underlying motivation for the ban.
Now consider what happened today in Parliament square. About two dozen people with placards reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" got arrested.
Their offence was supporting Palestine Action. Which means that they were arrested for supporting an organisation which doesn't exist.
Their offence was supporting Palestine Action. Which means that they were arrested for supporting an organisation which doesn't exist.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Now consider what happened today in Parliament square. About two dozen people with placards reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" got arrested.
Their offence was supporting Palestine Action. Which means that they were arrested for supporting an organisation which doesn't exist.
Their offence was supporting Palestine Action. Which means that they were arrested for supporting an organisation which doesn't exist.
Add to this that Palestine Action have dissolved themselves. For reasons I'll go into later, there's good reason to think they really have.
This means that no one will be arrested for being a member of Palestine action, or for funding them.
You can't be a member of a group that no longer exists.
This means that no one will be arrested for being a member of Palestine action, or for funding them.
You can't be a member of a group that no longer exists.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Add to this that Palestine Action have dissolved themselves. For reasons I'll go into later, there's good reason to think they really have.
This means that no one will be arrested for being a member of Palestine action, or for funding them.
You can't be a member of a group that no longer exists.
This means that no one will be arrested for being a member of Palestine action, or for funding them.
You can't be a member of a group that no longer exists.
And I think this is something we can actually tell from how this proscription is being applied. Or not.
See this section of the High Court's judgement against Palestine Action. Even if former PA activists take direct action after the ban, it says, these will *not* be considered terrorist offences.
See this section of the High Court's judgement against Palestine Action. Even if former PA activists take direct action after the ban, it says, these will *not* be considered terrorist offences.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
And I think this is something we can actually tell from how this proscription is being applied. Or not.
See this section of the High Court's judgement against Palestine Action. Even if former PA activists take direct action after the ban, it says, these will *not* be considered terrorist offences.
See this section of the High Court's judgement against Palestine Action. Even if former PA activists take direct action after the ban, it says, these will *not* be considered terrorist offences.
Compare the dossier and Cooper's memorandum with this, from Jack Straw in 2000, during the Second Reading the Terrorism Act. He lists examples of terrorism offences: "murder, explosives offences, conspiracy to cause explosions, unlawful possession of firearms and so on."
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Compare the dossier and Cooper's memorandum with this, from Jack Straw in 2000, during the Second Reading the Terrorism Act. He lists examples of terrorism offences: "murder, explosives offences, conspiracy to cause explosions, unlawful possession of firearms and so on."
See also Yvette Cooper's "Explanatory Memorandum" accompanying the proscription, which uses almost exactly the same logic as the above report: Palestine Action 'meets the threshold' in the aggregate, but has not committed any specific terrorist acts.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
See also Yvette Cooper's "Explanatory Memorandum" accompanying the proscription, which uses almost exactly the same logic as the above report: Palestine Action 'meets the threshold' in the aggregate, but has not committed any specific terrorist acts.
This week's redefinition of "terrorism" seems to have been unknown before a late 2023 report (below), published by pro-israel pressure groups, proposed proscribing Palestine Action after it effectively undermined an IDF arms manufacturer, Elbit.
Even they didn't claim PA's *acts* were terrorist.
Even they didn't claim PA's *acts* were terrorist.
July 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
This week's redefinition of "terrorism" seems to have been unknown before a late 2023 report (below), published by pro-israel pressure groups, proposed proscribing Palestine Action after it effectively undermined an IDF arms manufacturer, Elbit.
Even they didn't claim PA's *acts* were terrorist.
Even they didn't claim PA's *acts* were terrorist.
Seems appropriate to end with the statement issued by the first Ploughshares action in 1980, when eight activists entered a General Electric factory and damaged nosecones destined for nuclear ICBMs. They got sentences of up to 10 years each.
But not on charges of 'terrorism'.
But not on charges of 'terrorism'.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Seems appropriate to end with the statement issued by the first Ploughshares action in 1980, when eight activists entered a General Electric factory and damaged nosecones destined for nuclear ICBMs. They got sentences of up to 10 years each.
But not on charges of 'terrorism'.
But not on charges of 'terrorism'.
Direct action has a long history in Britain - from the DAC, the Committee for 100 & the Spies for Peace, to the Greenham Common Women - and that's only the peace campaigns. That's the history Palestine Action is part of - and it will continue no matter what the courts eventually decide.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Direct action has a long history in Britain - from the DAC, the Committee for 100 & the Spies for Peace, to the Greenham Common Women - and that's only the peace campaigns. That's the history Palestine Action is part of - and it will continue no matter what the courts eventually decide.
June 2004: Six ploughshares activists enter the Burgfield Atomic Weapons Establishment. Charged with criminal damage.
bsky.app/profile/mado...
bsky.app/profile/mado...
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
June 2004: Six ploughshares activists enter the Burgfield Atomic Weapons Establishment. Charged with criminal damage.
bsky.app/profile/mado...
bsky.app/profile/mado...
A summary of the arguments Starmer when defending their actions:
vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-marg...
vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-marg...
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
A summary of the arguments Starmer when defending their actions:
vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-marg...
vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-marg...
On March 13, 2003. Two activists enter RAF Fairford and disable 30 bomber support vehicles. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage. Their defence lawyer was one Keir Starmer QC.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
On March 13, 2003. Two activists enter RAF Fairford and disable 30 bomber support vehicles. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage. Their defence lawyer was one Keir Starmer QC.
March 11, 2003. Ploughshares activist enters RAF Leuchars and disarms a Tornado fighter jet scheduled for service in the invasion of Iraq with a hammer, causing what was initially estimated as £25 million worth of damage. Charged with criminal damage.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
March 11, 2003. Ploughshares activist enters RAF Leuchars and disarms a Tornado fighter jet scheduled for service in the invasion of Iraq with a hammer, causing what was initially estimated as £25 million worth of damage. Charged with criminal damage.
28th April 2001 - Ploughshares activist manages to swim past security at Faslane naval base and spray-paint the words ''useless'' on a nuclear submarine. Charged with criminal damage & breach of the peace.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
28th April 2001 - Ploughshares activist manages to swim past security at Faslane naval base and spray-paint the words ''useless'' on a nuclear submarine. Charged with criminal damage & breach of the peace.
23 November 1999. Two Ploughshares activists are caught trespassing a Navy shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, with hammers and other tools to disarm a nuclear submarine being constructed on site. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damaged. Acquitted by the jury.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
23 November 1999. Two Ploughshares activists are caught trespassing a Navy shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, with hammers and other tools to disarm a nuclear submarine being constructed on site. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damaged. Acquitted by the jury.
23 November 1999. Two Ploughshares activists are caught trespassing a Navy shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, with hammers and other tools to disarm a nuclear submarine being constructed on site. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damaged. Acquitted by the jury.
July 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
23 November 1999. Two Ploughshares activists are caught trespassing a Navy shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, with hammers and other tools to disarm a nuclear submarine being constructed on site. Charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damaged. Acquitted by the jury.