Activists guilty over Palestine protest breach

PA Media Christopher Nineham and Benjamin Jamal stand side-by-side in front of a glass building. On the left, Nineham wears a dark navy blazer over a white shirt and speaks into a microphone. On the right, Jamal wears a brown leather jacket over a black-and-white patterned scarf. In the reflection of the glass behind them, blurred figures and several Palestinian flags are visible.PA Media
Christopher Nineham and Benjamin Jamal are prominent pro-Palestine campaigners

Two pro-Palestine campaigners have been found guilty of breaching protest conditions.

Benjamin Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Christopher Nineham, vice chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, were convicted after failing to comply with a police order to remain in a static rally.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard the Metropolitan Police had imposed restrictions to block a march from gathering near a central London synagogue, citing concerns regarding the safety of the Jewish community.

The court heard that on 18 January last year, Jamal and Nineham knowingly breached these conditions when they marched toward the BBC's headquarters in Portland Place which was nearby.

Jamal was also convicted of two counts of inciting other protesters to breach the police conditions.

Both had denied the charges.

The public gallery was full of the defendants' supporters, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as District Judge Daniel Sternberg read the verdicts out.

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