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British authorities detained two Irish neutrality activists on their way to an anti-NATO demonstration outside London on “anti-terrorism” grounds.
Bill O’Brien and Patrick Downey of The Truth and Neutrality Alliance say they were subjected to invasive personal examination with authorities taking their fingerprints, handprints, prints of the sides of their hands and placing swabs on the inside of their mouths.
“They told us we were being ‘detained’, not arrested – and that if we didn’t answer any questions we’d be incriminating ourselves,” O’Brien told The Ditch. “You don’t have the right to remain silent. They said as soon as we charge you with an offence, all your rights kick in.”
Police invoked powers under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019
Bill O’Brien and Patrick Downey of the Truth and Neutrality Alliance flew from Dublin Airport on 15 August to Stansted.
They had both been invited to speak at a protest organised by No2NATO, which describes itself as a "campaign for Britain to withdraw from NATO and to end its proxy wars against Russia, China and Iran.”
On arrival in Britain authorities approached them and seized their phones and detained them for almost five hours, invoking “anti-terror” laws. “It was just long enough to make sure we didn’t make it to the protest,” Downey told The Ditch.
Detention notices seen by The Ditch show police invoked powers under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which allows border officers to detain people to determine if they are involved in threat activity on behalf of a foreign power.
The same notice shows O’Brien asked for consular assistance – which he was entitled to – writing “yes to notifying” on the document at 10.50am, but he says the embassy later told him no records exist of British authorities requesting it on his behalf.
Paperwork given to them listed their obligations, warning that they must answer all questions, surrender PINs and passcodes to electronic devices and submit to searches. The notice says failing to comply or obstructing officers is a prosecutable offence.
The pair say they were asked about whether they have links to Russia and that authorities had prior knowledge of their travel arrangements. “They wanted to know if I’d ever worked for Russia, or if I had any ambitions to work for the Russian government,” said Downey. “A tonne of questions like that.”
After his detainment O’Brien called the Irish consulate in London. The consulate told him the British authorities never requested assistance for him. “They said there’s no record of them getting in touch.”
O’Brien and Downey were subsequently released without charge.
No2NATO, which was launched by the British Workers Party in 2023, called the demonstration a “Stop Zelensky” rally to demand an end to British military and financial aid to Ukraine.
On a crowdfunder page circulated before the event, No2NATO organisers also framed the protest as part of a broader push to halt the British government’s “drive to war with Russia”.
Previous speakers at No2NATO demonstrations include comedian Tadhg Hickey and former MP George Galloway.
The Irish embassy in London has been contacted for comment.
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