AhlulBayt News Agency: UK authorities have arrested a Press TV contributor and pro‑Palestinian activist as part of what campaigners describe as a politically motivated crackdown on pro‑Palestinian voices.
Latifa Abouchakra, a London‑based journalist, was detained by British police while traveling to Birmingham to attend the launch event of the Anti‑Zionist Movement (AZM), a new group opposing “Jewish supremacy” and supporting Palestinian resistance.
Police later stated that her arrest was connected to broader security measures surrounding the event.
Campaigners said the operation was carried out under pressure from pro‑Israel lobbying groups and criticized authorities for selectively policing events critical of the Israeli regime.
Abouchakra, 35, is known for her appearances on Press TV’s “Palestine Declassified,” where she has criticized Israeli policies and Zionist influence in Western institutions.
The AZM event, planned at Birmingham’s Old Print Works, was cancelled by the venue due to safety concerns after police investigated the group’s Instagram post describing itself as “unapologetically pro‑Armed Resistance.”
Other scheduled speakers included David Miller, a former University of Bristol professor dismissed in 2021 over disputed anti‑Semitism allegations, and Rahmeh Aladwan, a British‑Palestinian doctor repeatedly arrested for pro‑Palestine social media posts.
Abouchakra’s arrest comes amid an intensifying crackdown on pro‑Palestine activism under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, which has expanded police powers to restrict protests.
Since taking office in July 2024, Starmer has faced criticism for continuing and escalating measures from previous administrations, including the unprecedented designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July 2025.
This designation—the first time a direct‑action protest group was banned under the Terrorism Act 2000—criminalizes membership or support, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison, and has resulted in more than 2,400 arrests, many for displaying supportive signs.
Critics, including human rights groups and activists, argue that the crackdown suppresses free speech and disproportionately targets Palestinian solidarity, creating a chilling effect on dissent.
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