September 2025
Dear First Minister for Wales and Welsh MPs,
According to filmed reports and local news outlets a welsh woman who is a teacher has been arrested by police in Cardiff for holding a sign opposing genocide and for saying she supports Palestine Action.
Around 100 people joined her on the afternoon of Saturday, August 9, outside the UK Government buildings in the city centre over UK Government intervention in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Around ten officers from South Wales Police formed a barricade around the protestor as others began chanting "let her go" before she was removed from the scene by police. The crowd chanting, “ Over 100 000 dead and you arrest her instead.”
Dear First Minister for Wales and Welsh MPs,
According to filmed reports and local news outlets a welsh woman who is a teacher has been arrested by police in Cardiff for holding a sign opposing genocide and for saying she supports Palestine Action.
Around 100 people joined her on the afternoon of Saturday, August 9, outside the UK Government buildings in the city centre over UK Government intervention in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Around ten officers from South Wales Police formed a barricade around the protestor as others began chanting "let her go" before she was removed from the scene by police. The crowd chanting, “ Over 100 000 dead and you arrest her instead.”
You can watch some of the incident here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNJC_EOIHBg/?igsh=ZnExMHBmYjg2amwy
Amnesty UK have said the arrest of peaceful protesters solely for expressing a statement such as “I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action” is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. Arrests on this basis would violate international human rights law.
As such, following further protests in London Amnesty is urging the Met’s chief police commissioner to instruct officers to comply with the UK’s international obligations and act with restraint in their response to peaceful protesters who are merely carrying placards.
Under international law, protest speech can only be criminalised if it incites violence, serious damage to property, hatred or discrimination. In the case of the weekend’s protests, holding a placard and peacefully stating support for Palestine Action cannot be treated as an example of incitement.
These rights are fundamental to a thriving society and good mental health. Without the freedom of expression, of agency, and a sense of safety to speak our psychological health is compromised.
A trauma informed society is one that ensures its people have free access to their human rights.
We ask the First Minister for Wales and Welsh MPs to oppose these abuses of human rights here in Wales and the UK, both in the Senedd and in Westminster.
We ask specifically of the First Minister for Wales, how is the Welsh Government going to protect our human rights when the UK government is not? How will you ensure the right to protest is upheld for the people of Wales?
Wales is built on a strong history of resistance. It is our civic duty to ensure that tradition continues.
Yma o hyd. In solidarity,
Photos by BLM Cardiff (2025)
Amnesty UK have said the arrest of peaceful protesters solely for expressing a statement such as “I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action” is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. Arrests on this basis would violate international human rights law.
As such, following further protests in London Amnesty is urging the Met’s chief police commissioner to instruct officers to comply with the UK’s international obligations and act with restraint in their response to peaceful protesters who are merely carrying placards.
Under international law, protest speech can only be criminalised if it incites violence, serious damage to property, hatred or discrimination. In the case of the weekend’s protests, holding a placard and peacefully stating support for Palestine Action cannot be treated as an example of incitement.
These rights are fundamental to a thriving society and good mental health. Without the freedom of expression, of agency, and a sense of safety to speak our psychological health is compromised.
A trauma informed society is one that ensures its people have free access to their human rights.
We ask the First Minister for Wales and Welsh MPs to oppose these abuses of human rights here in Wales and the UK, both in the Senedd and in Westminster.
We ask specifically of the First Minister for Wales, how is the Welsh Government going to protect our human rights when the UK government is not? How will you ensure the right to protest is upheld for the people of Wales?
Wales is built on a strong history of resistance. It is our civic duty to ensure that tradition continues.
Yma o hyd. In solidarity,
- Dr Jen Daffin, Community Clinical Psychologist
- Erin Morgan, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
- Victoria Scaglioni, Trainee Counselling Psychologist
- Dr Lauren Milton-McNally, Counselling Psychologist
- Dr Kellie Turner, Clinical Psychologist
- Georgia Roberts, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
- Rachel Johnson, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
- Dr Rhiannon Peters, Clinical Psychologist
- Megan Cattani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
- Dr Sarah Brown, Clinical Psychologist
- Poppy Wright, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
- Siobhan Skerratt, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Photos by BLM Cardiff (2025)
