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WOODFORD GRN: Charges dropped against peace protester (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WOODFORD GRN: Charges dropped against peace protester
9:24am Thursday 12th March 2009
CHARGES against a Jewish woman who was arrested while protesting against the Israeli Government's treatment of Palestinians have been dropped.
Woodford Green activist Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, 56, was due to appear at the City of London Magistrates court today following her arrest at an Israeli parade in London last June.
But with just hours to go until her court appearance, the Crown Proescution Service announced it would abandon the case because it was not in the public interest.
Ms Wimborne-Idrissi said: "This decision is welcome, of course, but it raises the question, why was the case brought in the first place?
"I have taken legal advice and am now considering whether to bring legal action against the police for wrongful arrest.”
It comes after an incident on June 29 2008 when Ms Wimborne-Idrissi held up a sign reading 'Palestinian blood on Israeli hands' at an Israeli parade along Haymarket in central London.
She also dyed her hands red.
Ms Wimborne-Idrissi claims a number of angry Israeli supporters suddenly "attacked" while she was holding her placard, with police arresting her shortly afterwards.
She said: "The police should have defended my right to freedom of expression. Instead I was arrested and charged under Section 5 of the Public Order Act with ‘causing harassment, alarm and distress’.”
Solicitor Simon Natas, representing Wimborne-Idrissi, said his client’s action had been “entirely peaceful and legitimate”.
Daniel Machover, Chair of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR), said: “Given Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the persistent brutality of the Israeli authorities towards Palestinians, as witnessed in Gaza just weeks ago, supporters of these policies cannot expect their celebrations or marches to be held without reasonable dissent."
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Your Say Your Guardian
InsolentMinx, Woodford Green says...
10:13am Fri 13 Mar 09
I hate how people living thousands of miles from conflict zones feel that they can preach and protest about things they have no clue about.
MD250, mumsaville says...
5:30pm Fri 13 Mar 09
TheTruthActually wrote:nice try, but thats bo*^)(S
Well done Naomi - speak out against the atrocities that are happening in Israel /Palestine.
The Israeli's are persecuting the Palestinians - Nazi's did this to the Jews in WWII, you'd think they wouldn't want anyone else to suffer.
I'm sure many will disagree with this but after all, it's my opinion.
IF YOU CANT TEL TH DIFFERENCE THEN SADLY YOU WILL HAVE TO JOIN CLARIDGER IN THE HALL OF STUPIDITY, HE WOULD LIKE A FRIEND I HEAR
Tom Thumb, London says...
9:14pm Fri 13 Mar 09
Israel is a country founded in ethnic cleansing and has spent the past 60 years stealing Palestinian land, murdering Palestinians, and destorying their homes. It is a classic racist settler state. Israel only exists because it is subsidised by the USA, which thinks it has a natural right to the world's resources, including Middle East oil.
Tom Thumb, London says...
10:11pm Fri 13 Mar 09
DanJn, London says...
12:22pm Sat 14 Mar 09
I've never been to Darfur; never saw apartheid South Africa; never visited Soviet political prisons; never been to Tibet, or Burma.
If I complained about these appalling criminal regimes, would you offer the same threadbare defence that I didn't live there? And doesn't it go both ways? You apparently live in Woodford Green, not Sderot - nor Hebron, still less Gaza, yet it does not stop you commenting. I don't mind that you disagree, I do mind that you are trying to shut people up.
Besides, if you did live in Sderot, you might have to listen to the people there who know that their lives are being held hostage to Israel's military reputation and who say no peace can come of it.
http://www.othervoic
e.org/welcome-eng.ht
m
thetruthisoutthere, Chingford says...
9:06pm Sat 14 Mar 09
TheTruthActually, Leyton says...
9:43pm Sat 14 Mar 09
MD250 wrote:MD250 - your comment has no relation to mine, duh.
TheTruthActually wrote: Well done Naomi - speak out against the atrocities that are happening in Israel /Palestine. The Israeli's are persecuting the Palestinians - Nazi's did this to the Jews in WWII, you'd think they wouldn't want anyone else to suffer. I'm sure many will disagree with this but after all, it's my opinion.nice try, but thats bo*^)(S IF YOU CANT TEL TH DIFFERENCE THEN SADLY YOU WILL HAVE TO JOIN CLARIDGER IN THE HALL OF STUPIDITY, HE WOULD LIKE A FRIEND I HEAR
You should learn to read.
If Claridger want a friend in the hall of stupidity, then you've just nominated yourself!
TheTruthActually, Leyton says...
9:44pm Sat 14 Mar 09
thetruthisoutthere wrote:Excellent comment.
There is never any smoke without fire is there? Why do the Palestinians have a grudge against Israel? There must be a reason. I am no historian but I believe that before 1948 the Palestinians lived in a large part of Israel. They now have very limited land in rather barren areas. They must have a good reason for their anger at Israel. We need to look back at their history before we judge their actions surely. The Israelis have their own viewpoint too. There seems to be a deadlock between them both. This situation will never be resolved through bombs, rockets and terrorism. World leaders need to get both sides to come to some kind of agreement that suits them both if that is at all possible. Otherwise the hatred will continue for a long time to come and nothing will ever be resolved will it?
Woodford Green activist Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi.
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TheTruthActually, Leyton says...
10:33pm Thu 12 Mar 09
The Israeli's are persecuting the Palestinians - Nazi's did this to the Jews in WWII, you'd think they wouldn't want anyone else to suffer.
I'm sure many will disagree with this but after all, it's my opinion.