Six people deny organising gatherings to support terror group Palestine Action
The charges related to plans for meetings in London, Cardiff and Manchester – which were allegedly organised over Zoom in July, August and September last year
Six people have pleaded not guilty to organising mass gatherings in support of the banned group Palestine Action.
The charges related to plans for meetings in London, Cardiff and Manchester – which were allegedly organised over Zoom in July, August and September last year.
Former government lawyer Timothy Crosland, 55, from Southwark, south London; gardener Dawn Manners, 61, from Hackney, east London; David Nixon, 39, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire; student Patrick Friend, 26, of Grange, Edinburgh; Gwen Harrison, 48, from Kendal, Cumbria; and Melanie Griffith, 62, from Southwark, pleaded not guilty to various charges relating to arranging, managing or addressing meetings, knowing that the purpose was to support a proscribed organisation.
A total of 29 charges were put to the defendants in the dock of the Old Bailey on Friday.
Crosland and Dixon represented themselves at the hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
The defendants, who are on bail, are facing a trial on June 22 before a High Court judge, with a four-week time estimate.
Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on June 20.
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