Kent police have been forced to apologise and pay damages to a protester who was threatened with arrest for holding a Palestinian flag and signs condemning Israel. The case exposes a shocking misuse of counter-terrorism powers to intimidate someone exercising a basic democratic right.
Laura Murton, 43, was told by armed officers that her peaceful protest supported a proscribed group and that she could face arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000. The officers demanded her personal details under threat, and her data was processed unlawfully.
The apology and settlement lay bare the heavy-handed and unlawful policing tactics used against lawful protests. This is not a minor error; it is a clear violation of basic rights. Murton’s case should serve as a warning that free speech is under threat when authorities overreach and weaponise anti-terror laws to silence dissent.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/13/kent-police-apologise-palestine-protester-laura-murton