UK arrests Press TV contributor Latifa Abouchakra amid crackdown on pro-Palestine activism
UK authorities have arrested a Press TV contributor and pro-Palestinian political activist as part of their politically motivated crackdown on pro-Palestinian voices.
Latifa Abouchakra, a London-based journalist, was arrested by British police while travelling to Birmingham to participate in the launch event of the Anti-Zionist Movement (AZM), a newly formed group advocating against "Jewish supremacy" and supporting Palestinian resistance.
Police later confirmed that the arrest was linked to broader security measures surrounding the gathering.
Campaigners said the operation was carried out under pressure from pro-Israel lobbying groups, criticising authorities for selectively policing events critical of the Israeli regime.
Abouchakra, 35, has been a prominent figure on Press TV's "Palestine Declassified" programme, where she has criticised Israeli policies and Zionist influence in Western institutions.
The AZM event, scheduled at Birmingham's Old Print Works, was cancelled by the venue due to safety concerns, following police investigations into the group's Instagram post declaring it "unapologetically pro-Armed Resistance."
Other scheduled speakers included David Miller, a former University of Bristol professor dismissed in 2021 over unfounded anti-Semitism allegations, and Rahmeh Aladwan, a British-Palestinian doctor arrested multiple times for social media posts related to pro-Palestine activism.
Abouchakra's arrest comes amid an escalating clampdown on pro-Palestine activism under British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, which is expanding police powers to restrict protests.
Since taking office in July 2024, Starmer has faced criticism for continuing and intensifying measures initiated under previous administrations, including the unprecedented banning of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation in July 2025.
This designation, the first for a direct-action protest group under the Terrorism Act 2000, criminalises membership or support, carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison, and has led to over 2,400 arrests, many for simply displaying supportive placards.
Critics, including human rights groups and activists opposing the measures, argue the crackdown stifles free speech and disproportionately targets Palestinian solidarity, creating a "chilling effect" on dissent.
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