this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2025
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A Boring Dystopia

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In 6 hours it will be illegal to say "I support Palestine Action" in the UK, with a sentence of up to 14 years in prison. (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 days ago by als@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world
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[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

They are not being charged because they protested, they’re being charged for breaking in and damaging a lot of military equipment. I think it’s a bit far to call them terrorists, but you can sort of see the government’s point, if you squint.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the US Federal definition of terrorism

definition

  1. the term "domestic terrorism" means activities that-
    1. involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
    2. appear to be intended-
      1. to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
      2. to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
      3. to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
    3. occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States

Due to the element danger to human life, their definition wouldn't fit.

However, the UK legal definition

definition

  1. In this Act “terrorism” means the use or threat of action where—
    1. the action falls within subsection (2),
    2. the use or threat is designed to influence the government [or an international governmental organisation][^F1] or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and
    3. the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious [, racial][^F2] or ideological cause.
  2. Action falls within this subsection if it—
    1. involves serious violence against a person,
    2. involves serious damage to property,
    3. endangers a person’s life, other than that of the person committing the action,
    4. creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public, or
    5. is designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to disrupt an electronic system.
  3. The use or threat of action falling within subsection (2) which involves the use of firearms or explosives is terrorism whether or not subsection (1)(2) is satisfied.
  4. In this section—
    1. “action” includes action outside the United Kingdom,
    2. a reference to any person or to property is a reference to any person, or to property, wherever situated,
    3. a reference to the public includes a reference to the public of a country other than the United Kingdom, and
    4. “the government” means the government of the United Kingdom, of a Part of the United Kingdom or of a country other than the United Kingdom.
  5. In this Act a reference to action taken for the purposes of terrorism includes a reference to action taken for the benefit of a proscribed organisation.
is wild: no danger to human life required, merely serious damage to property suffices!

[^F1]: Words in s. 1(1)(2) inserted (13.4.2006) by Terrorism Act 2006 (c. 11), s. 34; S.I. 2006/1013, art. 2 [^F2]: Words in s. 1(1)(3) inserted (16.2.2009) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), ss. 75(1)(2)(a), 100(5) (with s. 101(2)); S.I. 2009/58, art. 2(a)

[–] catty@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

In this Act “terrorism” means the use or threat of action where—

the action falls within subsection (2), the use or threat is designed to influence the government [or an international governmental organisation][1] or to intimidate the public or a section of the public

Wow, so the very act of peaceful protest is now defined as 'terrorism' because the below can be very loosely interpreted in whatever way necessary:

creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public

I don't know: it's possible. If legal definitions & case law (which I don't know enough about) don't settle their meaning, then they could mean anything. A lawyer could clarify.

[–] catty@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

For sure. e.g. Block the road, you block emergency vehicles / assault on emergency workers = terrorism.

https://www.bailii.org/

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 1 points 1 day ago

Plain old traffic jams and collisions block emergency vehicles all the time. Doesn't seem to be a problem during these very normal things that happen all the time ... but protestors block a road and suddenly it's a huge problem.

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 1 day ago

I see: that technically could.

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The UK definition isn’t that wild - the ‘ra used to plant bombs and then phone it in. There’s still terror seeing a building explode - knowing the only reason there aren’t casualties is because the bombers, this time, called it in with 15 minutes on the fuse.

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 day ago

Acts dangerous to human life don't require actual casualties: if people need to leave to avoid death or injury, then that's an act dangerous to human life.