Justice for Palestine: we will not be deterred nor silenced
Published on Thu Oct 19 2023 - modified on Mon Nov 25 2024In light of the heinous actions of the State of Israel against the Palestinian people, and the extension of its oppressive structures onto Palestinians and their supporters in Europe, the ELSC expresses its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle for liberation and justice against colonial oppression and apartheid. As a legal organisation supporting the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe, we stand alongside all those who are carrying the cause, taking a stand and challenging the violent complicity of European states and institutions that enables Israel’s ceaseless colonial violence and its seemingly ever-lasting impunity.
As we stand witness to the most atrocious crimes against humanity, with our Palestinian partners and independent experts warning of the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people, we are witnessing a serious increase of anti-Palestinian racism in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).
The large demonstrations taking place in many European cities, despite outrageous attempts to ban and repress solidarity in many places with extreme force, have shown that people are undeterred and refuse to be silenced. Now as ever, we reiterate our support to all advocates for Palestinian rights in the EU and the UK who are facing censorship, smear campaigns, sanctions, racist attacks and despicable police brutality.
We recall that the right to resist and struggle for freedom from colonialism, apartheid and foreign occupation, and to speak up against decades-long human rights violations, is fundamental and protected by law.
At the ELSC, we are currently devoting all our efforts to monitoring all forms of repression against the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe, including the UK. We are receiving numerous reports and requests but due to our limited resources (human and financial), we are intervening in support of the most urgent cases and connecting those facing incidents of repression to our network of lawyers. All communication is registered and we are coordinating support.
At this critical moment, we urge you to:
- Report all incidents of repression and request support here: https://elsc.support/intake
- Stay safe by consulting the ‘know your rights’ resources below if you are engaging in protests, direct actions or posting online. Follow along for the ELSC’s ‘know your rights’ resources
- Send any footage or video showing repression to info@elsc.support, including the location and date of the incident
- Report anti-Palestinian content online to 7amleh here in Arabic and here in English
- Donate to Medical Aid for Palestinians, which is responding to the current emergency in Gaza
- If you can support our work with a financial contribution, please donate to the ELSC
- If you would like to volunteer with us, please complete this form
- For translators and interpreters, please apply here to volunteer
‘KNOW YOUR RIGHTS’ RESOURCES
Germany:
- A Street Action Guide for Germany by Go Film the Police; “What to do if you witness police violence?” by KOP (here in German and here in Arabic)
- “What to do if you witness police brutality?” (in Arabic) by KOP.
- A leaflet in German and English containing guidelines on what to do if you are detained by the police or subjected to police violence.
UK:
- Protesting at University in the UK: What Are My Rights? for students and staff protesting at university, by ELSC and Liberty.
- Your right to protest; Protest Bust Cards (With Translations into Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Farsi, Punjabi, Kurdish etc.) by Liberty, Migrants Organise and Black Protest Legal Support.
- Guide for Internationals Attending Protests in Scotland; useful contacts and basic guidelines for protests in Scotland by Scottish Community & Activist Legal Project (SCALP).
- Defending your Advocacy on Palestine in the Higher Education Context, Briefing by ELSC, BRISMES Campaigns and London Region UCU representatives.
- Report incidents in UK schools with Palestine in School initiative and see the Know your Rights in Schools Guide.
The Netherlands:
- Our Know Your Rights Toolkit for Protesters provides an overview of protest law in the Netherlands and pays attention to specific questions and themes that affect our movement. It is available in Dutch, Arabic, and English.
- Read these tips from AAAH on what to do before, during, and after house searches.
- Look at this guide for support and recovery after experiencing or witnessing police violence.
Italy:
- Toolkit per Manifestanti, ELSC (in Italian and English)
- Guida comoda per situazioni scomode, Cosa devi sapere in caso di manifestazione by Strali
- Breve guida ai tuoi diritti davanti alle forze di Polizia by Associazione Antigone
France:
- Les outils juridiques de la Legal team antiraciste et les contacts utiles en manifestations (région parisienne)
ONLINE
If you are threatened or harassed online, check this guide by CrimethInc on Prevention and Aftercare for Those Targeted by Doxxing and Political Harassment
