Kent Police have apologised and agreed to pay damages to a woman who was wrongly threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for holding a Palestine flag and Free Gaza signs during a peaceful protest in Canterbury.
Laura Murton, 43, was approached by armed officers on 14 July, who claimed her protest expressed views supportive of the proscribed group Palestine Action, which had been banned earlier that month.
The officers told her that displaying the flag and messages such as Israel is committing genocide could amount to a criminal offence under counterterrorism laws.
The incident, filmed by Murton and reported, sparked widespread criticism, including questions in Parliament and a warning from the Equality and Human Rights Commission about heavy-handed policing of Gaza-related demonstrations.
In a letter of apology signed on behalf of Chief Constable Tim Smith, Kent Police admitted breaching Murton’s right to free expression and acknowledged unlawful false imprisonment and improper handling of her personal data.
The force confirmed the deletion of her data and clarified that similar protests “would not give rise to grounds for suspicion under the Terrorism Act 2000.”
Murton said she would donate any compensation to Palestinian causes and urged others to “continue to exercise their lawful right to protest, this case should remind police forces across the country that there must be no unlawful interference with peaceful demonstrations,” she said.
Her solicitor, Shamik Dutta of Bhatt Murphy, said it was the first known case in which a chief constable had apologised and paid damages over unlawful policing linked to the proscription of Palestine Action.
He added, regrettably, Ms Murton’s experience is not unique, given the continued failure of police forces to respect free speech in this context, her case is unlikely to be the last.”
