Green MSP Maggie Chapman has demanded that Police Scotland reveal its guidance after arresting people under terror laws for legal anti-genocide signs.
More than a dozen protesters holding signs reading, ‘Genocide in Palestine, time to take action’ were arrested and face trial.
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance to police forces in England and Wales states that the signs are legal and not to arrest. Scotland is governed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
However, the police force admitted to the National that Counter Terrorism Policing Scotland had received the same guidance as its English counterparts in August 2025. But it “was not circulated to the wider organisation”.
Green MSP Maggie Chapman has demanded that the force “come clean” about what it has been told is legal:
It should be a very simple matter for Police Scotland to say whether or not they consider the slogan ‘Genocide in Palestine, Time to Take Action’ lawful or not. A Counter Terrorism police ‘tactics guide’ specifically stated that this slogan should not be grounds for arrest.
It is clear that police forces in England have followed this guidance. It beggars belief that Police Scotland would take such an authoritarian approach to peaceful protesters north of the border, arresting and charging them under draconian counter terrorism laws. This is especially the case when the UK Government, using public taxpayers’ money, continued to arm Israel’s war crimes and genocide against Gaza.
Police Scotland must come clean on how officers were interpreting the proscription of Palestine Action and what they were told about how to treat protesters simply carrying banners or wearing T-shirts.
Police Scotland evade questions
The Scottish force tried to hide behind ‘national security’ to avoid answering Freedom of Information requests from one of the defendants about what guidance it had received.
Police Scotland also said it could “neither confirm nor deny” whether its own guidance bans the phrase used on the placards.
In a statement, Police Scotland said it was refusing to disclose more information because to do so would compromise:
the efficient and effective conduct of Police Scotland as regards its law enforcement and national security role.
It also claimed that saying whether it included the slogan in advice to officers would:
prejudice substantially the prevention or detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders and the ability to safeguard national security.
Supposedly this is because allowing protesters to know what they can legally say would allow them not to say anything illegal.
Police Scotland said:
The UK faces a serious and sustained threat from violent extremists. Disclosure would assist groups, organisations and those with hostile intent by providing them with a tactical advantage when planning or perpetrating any unlawful activities, thereby maximising the impact of destruction, harm and disruption that may be caused, whilst avoiding being brought to justice.
Police Scotland and its SNP government masters are no less committed than Westminster to destroying and criminalising the rights and freedoms of their own people in order to protect Israel.
Featured image via the Canary
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