Escalating Controversy in Britain Over Hunger Strike by 'Palestine Action' Activists

The controversy in Britain continues to escalate regarding solidarity campaigns with activists from the 'Palestine Action' organization who are on hunger strike in prisons, amid increasing popular protests and legal actions that threaten to reach the Supreme Court, against a government silence that supporters of the strikers describe as 'deliberate and inhuman'.

The British capital, London, witnessed notable protests on Monday evening in Piccadilly Square, where Swedish activist Greta Thunberg led crowds of sympathizers who closed the square in protest against the continued detention of 8 activists from the 'Palestine Action' organization and their hunger strike that has lasted for weeks.

The protesters raised slogans demanding the release of the strikers or the opening of official dialogue channels with them, holding the British government responsible for endangering their lives.

Activists on social media harshly criticized the position of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, considering his refusal to intervene even 'out of humanitarian or empathetic motives' shocking, especially given his professional background as a former human rights lawyer.

Activists saw that the government's silence contradicts the values that Starmer had long defended before assuming the premiership.

According to reports, 8 activists from the 'Palestine Action' organization began an open-ended hunger strike on November 2, protesting their continued detention and the denial of bail, as well as the British government's support for Israel's war on Gaza, as they put it. Their supporters affirm that the strike also aims to pressure for stopping the genocide against Palestinians.

In recent days, legal representatives of the strikers announced their intention to initiate legal proceedings against Foreign Secretary and Justice Secretary David Lammy, accusing him of violating clear government policies regarding the handling of hunger-striking prisoners, after weeks of receiving no response or official contact from the government.

In a warning letter, 'Palestine Action' lawyers gave the government a deadline until noon today, Tuesday, to respond, threatening to appeal to the Supreme Court against Justice Secretary David Lammy's refusal to meet with representatives of the strikers. They indicated that the government's continued disregard could constitute a violation of human rights.

The lawyers relied on prison policies that stipulate that the government must make 'maximum efforts' to understand the reasons for the prisoner's refusal of food and work on addressing these reasons.

In a related development, an official letter addressed to the government announced that activist Qaisar Zahra had ended her strike after 48 days of abstaining from food.

Zahra had been transferred to the hospital last week coinciding with protests outside Bronzefield Prison, claiming she was deprived of full medical care.

So far, 3 out of the 8 activists have stopped their strike, while the rest continue to abstain from food.

For his part, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said they want these prisoners to 'accept support so they can recover,' but emphasized that the ministry will not take actions that could encourage others to endanger their lives through hunger strikes.