Police in Leicester arrested at least five journalists under the Terrorism Act while they were reporting on a protest outside a drone factory owned by an Israeli arms company.

The journalists were detained for two hours last Thursday at a UAV Tactical Systems factory owned by Elbit Systems, which makes weapons that are used in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Those arrested included two reporters for the Leicester Gazette and three freelance photojournalists. Police only let them go once they shared information to prove they attended the protest in their capacity as journalists, Press Gazette reported.

A photographer who goes by the name Just Barold on social media was among those detained.

“Multiple journalists including myself were arrested under section 13 of the Terrorism Act for going to work,” he wrote. “An officer told me that I would be de-arrested as soon as I gave my details despite identifying myself as a journalist with a press card.

“Our arresting officer was unable to articulate what caused the suspicion but it did instantly vanish when they got my name, address and date of birth.”

Press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said in a statement that it was “deeply concerned to hear of the arrest of journalists covering a protest in Leicester, particularly given they had identified themselves as such to police.”

It added: “No journalist should have to weigh the risk of arrest against their duty to inform the public. If reporters cannot cover protests freely, the public is left in the dark about events it has a right to know about. Policing and government must ensure that journalists are free to do their jobs without interference.”

In total, police arrested 35 people at the protest under section 13 of the Terrorism Act. Some of the protesters held signs reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”. The proscribed group has frequently targeted and damaged factories owned by Elbit Systems.

From Novara Media via This RSS Feed.