Arrested Belfast pro-Palestine campaigner says ‘we are not the criminals’

Two campaigners have said they feel as if they are “being criminalised” after they were arrested during a pro-Palestine protest in Belfast.

Sue Pentel, 72, a long-standing campaigner and member of Jews for Palestine Ireland, and Martine McCullough, who is in her 50s, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after protesting outside a Barclays bank branch in Castle Place on Saturday.

Stickers had been placed on an ATM.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) defended its actions and said that the body-cam footage was looked at and the officer’s actions were “lawful and proportionate”.

Ms Pentel said it was “an actual peaceful protest” and that “we feel we are being criminalised, we’re not the criminals.”

In a statement to BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the officers were reacting to an emergency call from a city centre business.

Ms Pentel told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme that she turned up late to the protest.

“I was there to help Martine, who was standing with the petition, and I was there at 11:10 because I was watching how late I was, so I was 10 minutes late, and by 11:26 I was in a jeep, the back of a jeep,” she said.

“So I failed to see what that was about in 20 minutes.

“And we refute the allegation of criminal damage.”

Ms Pentel said that on Saturday they were talking to people about not using the ATM at the bank while she held a placard saying “forced starvation is a war crime”.

“We would not shout, but I was making myself heard so that people come over that want to support us,” she said.

“We’re not going into details but stickers may have been placed and have been placed in the past and nobody has been arrested.

“When I left within that 20 minutes the ATM was in good working order because someone was using it so I couldn’t see any criminal damage.”

Both of the women were released later on Saturday, pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

ACC Henderson said the right to both freedom of speech and assembly are “fundamental human rights”.

“However, they must be balanced with the need to uphold the rights of others, protect public health and safety, minimise disruption to normal life and by the need to prevent and detect crime.”

Ms Pentel said it would be “ridiculous” if they were to be charged with criminal damage.

“When people are being bombed and burnt alive… an actual peaceful protest, we feel we are being criminalised, we’re not the criminals,” Ms Pentel added.

“It’s always an absolute privilege and we’re always proud to stand up to highlight what’s happening in Palestine, and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians. So if they charge us, so be it.

“We will say exactly what we’re saying now: we have the right to peacefully protest and we will continue to peacefully protest.”

Also speaking to BBC Good Morning Ulster, Ms McCullough: “I would really like to see the body-cam or the CCTV footage that the chief constable is referring to because I was there from the start until I was arrested, and there is nothing, in my opinion, criminal happened that day.”

She added: “I believe there is absolutely zero possibility of any charges being brought forward.”