Officers have searched the London residence of a pro-Palestinian activist, seizing digital gadgets below anti-terrorism legal guidelines
UK counterterrorism police raided the London residence of a journalist and affiliate editor of the Digital Intifada web site on Thursday, seizing a number of digital gadgets. Asa Winstanley is understood for his criticism of Israel’s army operation in Gaza.
Cops arrived at Winstanley’s residence with warrants and a letter reportedly informing him that police have been investigating “attainable offenses” associated to his social media posts, in line with an article on the Digital Intifada.
The letter from the Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police Service acknowledged that authorities have been conscious of Winstanley’s career as a journalist, however that “however, police are investigating attainable offenses” below sections 1 and a couple of of the Terrorism Act 2006, which relate to the offense of “encouragement of terrorism.”
The Digital Intifada is a US-based web site based in 2001, which describes itself as “an unbiased on-line information publication specializing in Palestine.”
“Roughly ten officers arrived at Winstanley’s North London residence earlier than 6am and served the journalist with warrants and different papers authorizing them to look his home and automobile for gadgets and paperwork,” the web site mentioned.
Winstanley was not arrested and has not been charged with any offense, however police confiscated his digital gadgets, in line with the publication.
The journalist, who has greater than 100,000 followers on X (previously Twitter), steadily shares articles, opinions and his personal feedback about Israeli actions in opposition to Palestinians and the British authorities’s assist for the hostilities in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Winstanley wrote an in depth article about Israel’s alleged killing of its personal residents on October 7, 2023, utilizing Apache helicopters and tanks, whereas blaming the deaths on Hamas.
In latest months, Winstanley has additionally reported on arrests and raids by the British counterterrorism police concentrating on different journalists and pro-Palestine activists.
In August, UK police arrested British journalist Richard Medhurst below Part 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on expenses of “expressing an opinion or a perception that’s supportive of a proscribed group.” He was finally launched, however his cellphone and work gear have been seized, whereas Medhurst himself was subjected to a search and questioning.
The journalist has lengthy been a vocal supporter of Palestine and the correct of its individuals to withstand Israeli occupation.
Supply hyperlink
