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[00:00:00] Welcome to Mint Press News. I'm Manar [00:00:02] Adley. The largest prison hunger strike [00:00:04] in the United Kingdom since 1981, the [00:00:07] year of the Irish Republican hunger [00:00:09] strike that saw Bobby Sands die in a [00:00:12] British prison, is happening right now [00:00:14] in UK jails. Political prisoners with [00:00:17] Palestine action are on hunger strike [00:00:20] right now in protest for the [00:00:22] prescription by the UK state as [00:00:24] terrorists for their nonviolent direct [00:00:27] action and for the UK's complicity in [00:00:30] Israel's genocide and their health is in [00:00:33] critical condition. I want you to [00:00:35] remember their names. Hiba Mari has [00:00:38] refused food for 67 days. Kamran Ahmed [00:00:42] for 60 days and Luis Chimarello fasted [00:00:45] for 40 days before being forced to stop [00:00:48] after a diabetic hypoglycemic episode. [00:00:52] And as we speak, some hunger strikers [00:00:54] have lost the ability to talk. Others [00:00:57] are on the brink of organ failure. [00:00:59] Initially, there were eight hunger [00:01:01] strikers, but now six have been forced [00:01:03] to pause their fasts due to critical [00:01:06] life-threatening medical emergencies. [00:01:08] And their crime, well, it's costing [00:01:11] Israel's largest weapons manufacturer [00:01:14] that builds the drones to be used in [00:01:16] Gazillions [00:01:17] upon millions of dollars. As Israel [00:01:20] committed a genocide in Gaz with full [00:01:22] backing from the United States and the [00:01:24] United Kingdom, the British public have [00:01:27] been losing their right to protest war [00:01:29] crimes. The UK government has launched [00:01:31] an unprecedented crackdown on pro [00:01:34] Palestine activism, drawing [00:01:36] international condemnation after it [00:01:38] prescribed Palestine Action as a [00:01:41] terrorist organization. Why? Because [00:01:44] Palestine Action was effective through [00:01:47] nonviolent direct action. Palestine [00:01:50] Action disrupted Israel's weapons [00:01:52] industry, most notably targeting Elbert [00:01:55] Systems, Israel's largest weapons [00:01:57] manufacturer. Their actions caused [00:02:00] millions of dollars in losses and forced [00:02:02] the withdrawal of major contracts [00:02:05] including insurance coverage from Alons [00:02:08] and Aviva. This was a major blow to [00:02:10] Elbert's ability to operate normally [00:02:13] inside of Britain. And Palestine action [00:02:15] killed no one, zero. Meanwhile, Israel [00:02:19] and its weapons industry, on the other [00:02:21] hand, are responsible for the deaths of [00:02:23] more than 100,000 people in Ghaz in just [00:02:27] the last 2 years alongside mass injury, [00:02:30] displacement, and war crimes, the world [00:02:34] watched unfold live. Yet, because [00:02:37] Palestine Action was so effective in its [00:02:39] organizing, the UK government with [00:02:41] backing from the Israel lobby placed the [00:02:44] group on the same terror list as ISIS [00:02:47] and al-Qaeda. Outside of the prisons, [00:02:50] protests have been ongoing for weeks, [00:02:52] and UK police drones are now flying over [00:02:55] the jails as demonstrators demand their [00:02:58] release. This is where Britain is today. [00:03:01] Joining me today to discuss the hunger [00:03:03] strikers inside UK jails is Audrey [00:03:06] Corno, an organizer with Prisoners for [00:03:09] Palestine. And also joining us today is [00:03:12] Mint Press graphic designer and field [00:03:14] photographer Ibrahim Abul Isad, who has [00:03:17] been the target of a relentless and [00:03:19] coordinated campaign by pro-Israel [00:03:21] groups directly pressuring the [00:03:24] government to silence him. First, we're [00:03:26] going to be speaking with Audrey and [00:03:27] Ibrahim will join us about halfway into [00:03:29] the show. Audrey, welcome. [00:03:32] >> Thank you so much for having me and for [00:03:33] covering these uh crucial topics. Thank [00:03:36] you. [00:03:37] >> Of course. I mean, we're devastated to [00:03:39] find out the critical health stage that [00:03:42] these hunger strikers are on. And it [00:03:44] seems like the UK government is not [00:03:47] budging. They are basically just doing [00:03:51] whatever the Israel lobby is telling [00:03:53] them telling them to do to keep these [00:03:56] people imprisoned and prescribing them [00:03:58] as a terrorist organization. So tell me [00:04:02] more about what is the current condition [00:04:04] medical condition and situation of these [00:04:06] hunger strikers their health and um you [00:04:10] know there have been reports now that [00:04:11] some of them have lost the ability to [00:04:13] speak struggling to breathe and are in [00:04:15] grave danger of death. tell us more [00:04:18] about this, please. [00:04:21] >> Yes. Um, so yeah, all of of what you [00:04:23] said is accurate. It's been a very [00:04:26] distressing two months. Uh, witnessing [00:04:30] the hunger strikers, well, if the [00:04:34] government pushing the hunger striker [00:04:35] bodies to the absolute limit. Um, [00:04:41] Cameron has been experiencing [00:04:43] intermittent hearing loss. Um he's just [00:04:47] been transferred back to prison after [00:04:49] his sixth hospital visit since the [00:04:51] hunger strike began. Um Hiba has been [00:04:55] experiencing in the last couple of days [00:04:58] um uncontrollable spasms in her limbs [00:05:00] which point to um brain damage. [00:05:05] And truly, we won't understand the [00:05:08] long-term effects on all of their uh [00:05:11] bodies and brains until months after [00:05:14] recovery. So, it's been a a really scary [00:05:18] time. And even for those who have [00:05:21] paused, um they're not out of the woods [00:05:23] yet. [00:05:25] uh T. Hawka who recently paused her [00:05:28] hunger strike um after 50 [00:05:33] after 55 days [00:05:36] uh was in a very very precarious health [00:05:40] situation as actually after such a [00:05:43] prolonged hunger strike. The most [00:05:45] dangerous part is actually the refeeding [00:05:48] the first few days of refeeding and she [00:05:51] was left completely to her own devices. [00:05:54] she wasn't taken to hospital. Um, and [00:05:57] the treatment from uh prisons and [00:06:00] hospitals has been absolutely appalling. [00:06:03] And the most shocking thing of all of [00:06:06] this is despite them being so close to [00:06:09] death, the remaining hunger strikers, [00:06:12] it's the only thing that it would take [00:06:15] for them to pause is for David Lami, the [00:06:19] Secretary of State, to agree to a [00:06:21] meeting with their legal [00:06:22] representatives. this could all end [00:06:25] tonight if he agreed to this and yet [00:06:27] he's flat out refused. Um, which I [00:06:31] struggle to comprehend. [00:06:34] >> So, you're saying that one of the main [00:06:36] demands of the hunger strikers is to [00:06:38] have a meeting between David Lami and [00:06:40] their legal representatives and he is [00:06:42] refusing to do that. Why do you think [00:06:44] that is? [00:06:47] Well, I think because [00:06:51] the demands um that would be engaged [00:06:55] with in this in this meeting um are [00:06:58] contrary to his entire agenda. [00:07:03] Uh but although there's been progress uh [00:07:06] for the end all censorship demand, [00:07:09] there's been an increase um in mail uh a [00:07:12] decrease in harassment of visitors um [00:07:16] and less interference with calls. um you [00:07:21] know every other demand which is [00:07:23] immediate bail for all prisoners for [00:07:25] Palestine, the right to a fair trial [00:07:28] which means the release of documents [00:07:30] detailing the secret meetings that have [00:07:33] been happening between Israeli uh state [00:07:35] officials, British state officials and [00:07:37] Elbert systems, the deprescription of [00:07:41] Palestine action and to shut Elbert down [00:07:45] uh for reasons that we can get into. uh [00:07:48] these demands all are you know go [00:07:51] contrary to his agenda. We know that he [00:07:54] has received very generous donations [00:07:57] from the Israel lobby. Um, but this [00:08:02] blatant refusal shows [00:08:06] such contempt for people who are accused [00:08:10] of nothing but trying to stop the [00:08:14] Zionist war machine in this country to [00:08:17] try to stop a genocide. Um, and it's [00:08:23] it's yeah, frankly [00:08:27] enraging that he hasn't made these very [00:08:30] simple step of just agreeing to a [00:08:32] meeting. [00:08:33] >> And how much is he being influenced, do [00:08:35] you think, by the Israel lobby or [00:08:37] special interest groups that want to see [00:08:40] these prisoners stay inside of prison [00:08:42] and possibly die? [00:08:46] Well, it's it's a disgusting fact that [00:08:49] it would be very convenient for the [00:08:53] prisoners for Palestine to die. Um, the [00:08:57] crime that they're accused of, direct [00:09:00] action against Elbert Systems has been [00:09:03] the most effective tactic in disrupting [00:09:07] um the war machine in this country. Uh [00:09:12] the impact of sustained disruptive [00:09:17] direct action in this country against [00:09:19] Elbbit Systems and its subsidiaries has [00:09:22] resulted in four out of Elbert Systems [00:09:26] uh sites to be shut down and uh has been [00:09:30] shown to have caused a significant loss [00:09:34] of profits for Elbert Systems and other [00:09:37] associated companies. So [00:09:42] we [00:09:44] they are very um the actions that [00:09:48] they're accused of have been highly [00:09:50] effective. And so it is in every [00:09:54] interest of the government to silence [00:09:57] them uh to prevent them from uh you know [00:10:03] sharing with the world what needs to be [00:10:06] done and to continue their resistance [00:10:08] from behind bars. [00:10:11] >> So this sorry go on [00:10:15] >> apologies [00:10:16] >> continue. [00:10:18] Um David Lami, Iette Cooper and many [00:10:23] other very senior officials in the UK [00:10:26] government have been paid hundreds of [00:10:29] thousands of pounds by the Israel lobby. [00:10:32] Many of them are part of either um Labor [00:10:36] or Conservative Friends of Israel. Many [00:10:38] of them have uh visit visited [00:10:42] um and met you know IDF officials. [00:10:46] So we see that you know this is a very [00:10:49] long-term relationship. Declassified [00:10:51] today uh was confronting uh politicians [00:10:55] British politicians um attending an [00:10:58] event with friends of Israel. So we can [00:11:02] see the uh deep influence um that the [00:11:07] British and Israeli state have on each [00:11:10] other and that is why the third demand [00:11:12] of the hunger strike is to release the [00:11:15] information on this. We know that the [00:11:17] home office has met with Elbert Systems [00:11:20] with the sole purpose of reassuring [00:11:22] Elbert Systems that they will take [00:11:24] Palestine Action more seriously and this [00:11:27] is what has directly resulted in their [00:11:30] incarceration and therefore their hunger [00:11:32] strike. [00:11:33] >> And Palestine Action members have [00:11:35] consistently been acquitted by British [00:11:36] juries when their cases come to court. [00:11:38] But just last month, Deputy Prime [00:11:40] Minister David Lami, the one you've been [00:11:42] mentioning, announced that the UK was [00:11:45] scrapping jury trials for all but the [00:11:49] most serious criminal cases. Do you [00:11:51] think that this could be linked to [00:11:53] Palestine action? And do you expect to [00:11:55] receive fair trials? [00:11:58] Well, um, yes, you're you're right that, [00:12:01] uh, it's very common for juries to [00:12:03] acquit Palestine Action defendants, and [00:12:06] that's because they agree with the [00:12:09] actions. the main defense in court [00:12:14] uh for anyone taking direct action in [00:12:17] solidarity with Palestine against you [00:12:19] know Elbert systems or other elements of [00:12:21] the Zionist war machine is that uh you [00:12:25] know the the most common charge is for [00:12:27] example criminal damage and the argument [00:12:30] is that this isn't criminal damage [00:12:33] because this damage was done in order to [00:12:36] prevent a greater crime to prevent war [00:12:39] crimes to prevent crimes against [00:12:41] humanity. And when this case is [00:12:43] presented to a jury that a weapons [00:12:46] factory directly supplying an apartheid [00:12:50] regime [00:12:52] um is not criminal but fully justified [00:12:57] and actually acts to uphold [00:13:00] international law. Um juries are very [00:13:03] sympathetic to this. [00:13:06] So [00:13:07] to see David Lammy move to scrap um jury [00:13:12] trials is unfortunately another logical [00:13:17] step of the police state that uh Britain [00:13:21] is becoming. [00:13:23] And [00:13:25] you know to put this down simply to [00:13:27] Palestine action may be slightly naive [00:13:30] but I I think that it absolutely plays a [00:13:34] part. um that juries are the last [00:13:38] democratic [00:13:39] sort of barrier in the criminal justice [00:13:43] system [00:13:44] um to acquit people um based on [00:13:49] conscience to acquit people based off of [00:13:52] principle. Um and I think that protest [00:13:58] um [00:14:00] protest cases are a very big reason as [00:14:03] to as to why he wants to do this because [00:14:05] juries don't always give the verdict [00:14:09] that the government wants. That is why [00:14:11] it's because the juries are so often [00:14:14] acquitting Palestine action defendants [00:14:17] that the government has moved to remand [00:14:20] them more often. That means to imprison [00:14:22] them, as was the case with me, uh before [00:14:26] having even faced a trial, before having [00:14:28] been convicted of any crime. So that [00:14:30] whatever the verdict is, they've already [00:14:33] been punished. This has been the case [00:14:36] for both the Filton 24 and the Brize [00:14:38] Noren 5 who face up to 2 years on uh [00:14:42] remand before facing a court. This is [00:14:45] unheard of. [00:14:47] >> And I don't think people realize just [00:14:49] how important this hunger strike is. I [00:14:52] mean, this is the biggest prison hunger [00:14:54] strike the UK has actually seen since [00:14:57] the 1981 Irish Republican hunger strike [00:15:02] that saw Bobby Sands die inside of [00:15:05] prison. And it's for, you know, today's [00:15:08] hunger strikers, of course, are for the [00:15:10] cause of standing up to Israel, Israel's [00:15:12] genocide inside of Gaz and shutting down [00:15:16] Israel's largest uh weapons factory, [00:15:20] which is Elbit Systems. [00:15:22] Talk to me more about the impact this [00:15:24] has made against Elbert Systems. [00:15:28] So um yes, as you say, the main most [00:15:33] important demand of this hunger strike [00:15:36] is to shut Elbert systems down [00:15:40] and this is their way of continuing to [00:15:44] resist inside prison. This has been a [00:15:47] call to action for everyone in Britain [00:15:51] and across the world to continue the [00:15:54] work that they have been prevented from [00:15:56] doing. uh from behind bars. [00:15:59] And like I said, you know, uh, from the [00:16:05] last five, six years, sustained, [00:16:09] uh, disruptive direct action against [00:16:11] Elbert Systems has not only shut down [00:16:14] four out of 10 of its sites, but has [00:16:17] also resulted in many of their um, [00:16:21] business partners dropping them because [00:16:23] it simply became too expensive to have [00:16:27] to deal with these consistent [00:16:29] targeting of their sites than to [00:16:33] continue working with Elbert Systems. So [00:16:36] whether that's logistics firms, uh [00:16:38] accountants, uh investors, landlords [00:16:43] that have dropped Elbert Systems, most [00:16:46] recently uh their insurers, that's Aviva [00:16:50] and Alians, dropped Elbert Systems after [00:16:54] uh over a year of sustained direct [00:16:57] action. And one of the incredible [00:17:00] victories that we've seen of the hunger [00:17:03] strike so far has been the surge of [00:17:06] mobilization for direct action again. [00:17:10] Um, since the hunger strike began and [00:17:14] the hunger strikers called for the free [00:17:17] people of the world to take action [00:17:19] against Elvis systems, we have seen [00:17:22] hundreds of signups um interested in [00:17:26] taking action. [00:17:28] And with this massive spike in interest, [00:17:32] we see that it's only a matter of time [00:17:34] until the rest of Elbert System sites [00:17:37] are shut down in this country for good. [00:17:40] And that's what it is. Palestine Action [00:17:43] has been the most successful direct [00:17:45] action group to hold Israel's military [00:17:49] machine accountable and actually hit it [00:17:52] where it hurts by getting these business [00:17:54] deals shut down and costing Elbit [00:17:57] systems and the Israeli military [00:17:59] industrial complex millions upon [00:18:01] millions of dollars worth of contracts. [00:18:03] So there's no question that Palestine [00:18:06] actions, direct action and organizing [00:18:08] works. I mean, these people are unarmed [00:18:12] and they are spray painting buildings of [00:18:15] these weapons manufacturers. They're [00:18:16] disrupting the business as usual. And [00:18:21] that's where protesters need to be um [00:18:24] around the world. And I think that the [00:18:25] UK and the Israel lobby and even the [00:18:28] Israeli government saw that Palestine [00:18:30] action was inspiring protest and direct [00:18:34] action movements across the globe, even [00:18:36] here within the United States. and they [00:18:39] didn't want to see that continue and so [00:18:41] they cracked down on Palestine action to [00:18:44] prescribe it as a terrorist organization [00:18:48] the same level that the UK has [00:18:50] prescribed groups like Alqaeda and ISIS [00:18:53] who are actually violent. So there's so [00:18:56] so many ironic things with this [00:18:59] prescription. And you know when I was in [00:19:01] the UK, I actually uh visited one of the [00:19:05] areas where a where Elbat Systems was um [00:19:08] targeted and I met with the communities [00:19:11] there that supported Palestine action. [00:19:13] And it was neighborhoods upon [00:19:16] neighborhoods of people from all walks [00:19:19] of life, all different age groups, even [00:19:21] different ethnicities that supported [00:19:23] Palestine action. I mean, this is really [00:19:26] unheard of in other places around the [00:19:28] world, but they were able to organize [00:19:31] uh, you know, people to such an extent [00:19:33] and that's why they're clearly being uh, [00:19:36] targeted. Talk to me just a little bit [00:19:38] more as my final question for you before [00:19:40] we get Ibrahim on. You know, what has [00:19:42] this meant? you know, this designation [00:19:44] of Palestine Action as a terrorist [00:19:46] organization, putting them at the same [00:19:48] level in the UK's eyes as like actual [00:19:51] violent terror groups like ISIS and [00:19:53] al-Qaeda. And what has it meant for [00:19:55] freedom of speech in the UK and this [00:19:58] like police crackdown that has been so [00:20:01] horrifying there? [00:20:05] >> Yes. Um I'm in full agreement with with [00:20:08] everything you've said, but I think the [00:20:10] main thing to highlight is that [00:20:13] uh in doing this, in prescribing what [00:20:17] has been and actually only continues to [00:20:20] be uh [00:20:23] you know a a highly popular movement. Um [00:20:28] they have lost all credibility. [00:20:30] um Palestine action has a you know [00:20:37] no one has died because of of of [00:20:40] Palestine action and you know the most [00:20:43] common parallel that's drawn is with the [00:20:45] suffragettes the suffragettes did um in [00:20:49] you know were bombing buildings and [00:20:53] actually have had people die as a result [00:20:56] of their actions and yet the [00:20:58] suffragettes are heralded [00:21:00] as feminist heroes, rightly so. Um and [00:21:05] you know the irony of as you say is hard [00:21:10] to fully grasp but I think the sort of [00:21:12] epitome of this is the fact that on the [00:21:14] day Palestine action was officially [00:21:17] prescribed in Britain [00:21:20] um all the women MPs took a picture in [00:21:24] parliament with um what sashes around [00:21:27] them commemorating the suffragettes who [00:21:30] did took much more violent militant [00:21:33] actions than Palestine action. [00:21:37] So the impact that it's had on the [00:21:40] freedom of speech and the general right [00:21:42] to protest in the UK is chilling. It's [00:21:48] meant uh that many people have been [00:21:51] arrested, thousands of people in fact [00:21:54] have been arrested for the crime of [00:21:56] simply holding up a plaque card that [00:21:59] says, "I oppose genocide. I support [00:22:01] Palestine Action and as you say this is [00:22:04] people from all walks of life of you [00:22:07] know all races, ethnicities, ages, uh [00:22:11] class status um have been now thousands [00:22:16] arrested under the terrorism act um [00:22:20] which is completely beyond. Um, and I [00:22:25] think although this is unprecedented [00:22:29] and draconian, [00:22:32] it must be known that this hasn't [00:22:35] worked. That people continue to show [00:22:37] support for Palestine action. That [00:22:40] direct action as a tactic has not been [00:22:42] prescribed and people have continued to [00:22:45] take action. So uh we cannot let the [00:22:50] British state fear tactics work. Um and [00:22:55] you know the work continues and least of [00:22:59] all will the Palestine action prisoners [00:23:02] and hunger strikers back down. [00:23:05] >> Absolutely. And you know we're so sorry [00:23:06] to hear about the state of affairs [00:23:09] inside of the UK. Um it's really [00:23:12] horrifying what's happening to these [00:23:13] hunger strikers and with this [00:23:15] prescription of Palestine action as a [00:23:17] terrorist organization because this has [00:23:20] global implications uh for direct action [00:23:22] and like you said no one not a single [00:23:25] person has been killed by Palestine [00:23:28] action whereas Israel has been [00:23:29] implicated in the deaths of hundreds of [00:23:32] thousands of Palestinians and is on [00:23:34] trial at the International Court of [00:23:37] Justice for genocide. And the UK knows [00:23:41] that they've aided and embedded and [00:23:45] provided the political cover for Israel. [00:23:48] And instead of targeting Israel, you [00:23:50] know, they say they care about human [00:23:51] rights instead of targeting Israel, [00:23:53] they're targeting the nonviolent [00:23:55] protesters who are actually making a [00:23:57] difference um and you know, targeting [00:24:01] the the weapons manufacturers and [00:24:04] weapons machine industry. It's hurting [00:24:07] them financially. So, um, Audrey Corno, [00:24:10] thank you so much for joining us today. [00:24:12] Um, we appreciate you being on. We're [00:24:14] going to pass it on now to Ibraim Zei.