Retired GP among health workers arrested at Palestine Action protest

A retired GP was among at least 13 health workers arrested at protests against the proscription of the group Palestine Action on Saturday, according to a health worker protest group.

The group formed a ‘health block’ at the protest in Parliament Square to draw attention to attacks on health workers in Gaza.

It is estimated that over 1,500 health workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, which the UN Human Rights office has ‘condemned’.

The protest group had a banner citing the Geneva Conventions and UN Security Council Resolution 2286 – both of which forbid attacks on healthcare workers in armed conflicts.

They also held placards which said: ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’.

According to Dr Alice Clack, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and former Médecins Sans Frontières practitioner, the group of health workers were targeted and arrested by police ‘within minutes’ of the protest beginning.

Ali Rowe, a child and adolescent mental health specialist who attended with the health block in a support role, told Pulse she had ‘never seen anything like’ the handling of Saturday’s protest.

She said: ‘I have never seen anything like that – never experienced anything like that.

‘As soon as the health block had sat down, the police were there within within seconds. People had not even finished writing their signs.

She said one member of the group, a doctor, was arrested before completing his placard with ‘his pen still in his mouth’.

Over 500 people were arrested as part of the protests including 522 arrests ‘for displaying an item (in this case a placard) in support of a proscribed organisation’, according to police figures.

Professor Hillary Neve, a retired GP who did not participate in this specific protest, said: ‘Labelling protest as terrorism is a huge threat to society.

‘It undermines our democracy and erodes the public’s right to challenge harmful policies, campaign for positive change and hold our government accountable.

‘Such punitive measures are an attempt to silence those brave citizens who stand up for the oppressed, the environment and against violations of human rights.

‘As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with all those advocating for a more just, kinder world, recognising that many of the rights we now take for granted are fundamental to public health and were achieved through protest.’

Dr Clack said: ‘As a doctor, I feel a moral duty to defend the principles of international humanitarian law which enshrine the protection and independence of health workers and health infrastructure during conflict.

‘These fundamental moral principles, encoded in the Geneva Conventions, are being undermined not only by the actions of the Israeli government, but also by the UK government, who continue to sell arms to Israel, and by our medical institutions who are failing to call out these crimes.

‘Our humanitarian work depends on these fundamental principles; ignoring these acts endangers us all.’

Palestine Action was proscribed in July, which means expressing support for, or belonging to, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The ban, which was voted on via an amendment to the Terrorism Act 2000, followed Palestine Action claiming responsibility for an estimated £7m of damage caused to planes at RAF Brize Norton in June.

Last week, a GP wrote for Pulse about their decision to attend the protest and the significance of healthcare workers participating in activism.