Palestine activist who praised ‘incredible Oct 7 infiltration’ arrested by counter-terrorism police
Family of Sarah Wilkinson claim she was detained for 'content that she has posted online'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Counter-terrorism police have arrested the pro-Palestine activist Sarah Wilkinson over allegations relating to her online postings which are alleged to have shown support for proscribed groups.
Wilkinson had previously praised the 7 October Hamas attacks in Israel as an “incredible infiltration”, and had attempted to claim a series of posts casting doubts over the extent of Nazi Holocaust in her name were not written by her.
Jack Wilkinson, a family member, confirmed the arrest at Wilkinson’s UK home this morning posting on X: “The police came to her house just before 7.30am. There were 12 of them in total, some of them in plain clothes from the counter-terrorism police.
“They said she was under arrest for ‘content that she has posted online’. Her house is being raided, and they have seized all her electronic devices.”
Her arrest and action against other pro-Palestine activists had led to claims that under Keir Starmer counter-terrorism police are taking tougher action against alleged breaches of terror laws.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper is also planning to strenghen existing terror laws to ensure better monitoring of extremism.
On the day of the same day of the October 7 attacks, Wilkinson posted:”Hamas airforce publish their incredible infiltration by air into the illegal Israeli settlements in the Gaza envelope.”
Wilkinson, who writes for the anti-Israel MENA Uncensored network, has since posted numerous pro-Hamas messages on X including a tribute to “Hamas leader and hero Ismail Haniyeh” after he was assassinated.
In a statement earlier this month MENA praised Wilkinson for her support for the “Palestinian resistance and relaying what is really happening in Gaza and the West Bank to the world.”
But after posts from 2016 and 2017 emerged in which Wilkenson appeared to claim facts around the Holocaust had been “debunked” she claimed she was the victim of a smear campaign by someone who had set up a fake account.
Wilkinson has also been involved with the Palestine Action group, and appears in one of the groups videos.
Also on Thursday Palestine Action announced that its co-founder Richard Barnard is facing three charges for two speeches he had given.
He is accused of supporting a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act and encouraging “criminal activity”.
Last week Jewish News told how Richard Medhurst, who is known for his anti-Israel activism, was detained at London’s Heathrow Airport for 24 hours and interrogated under section 12 of the UK’s Terrorism Act. Pro-Iranian activist detained at Heathrow on claims of support for ‘a proscribed organisation’
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