Edward Foxen

1. The Starmer government has been repeatedly caught lying in claiming it has limited arms exports to Israel during the Gaza genocide. In fact, Ch4 finds there were record arms sales to Israel in June and September. 2. The only major group trying practically to stop arms exports – by targeting weapons factories in the UK – was Palestine Action. The Starmer government outlawed the group as a terrorist organisation in early July, just as the steep rise in arms sales was underway. 3. More than 2,000 people have been arrested so far on terrorism charges for peacefully protesting Palestine Action's proscription – as police forces repeatedly voice concern that resources are being overstretched to enforce the ban and normal policing is suffering. 4. The government has just announced further limitations on the right to protest, effectively letting the police decide which issues the public can protest. The police have already made clear that they want to stop protests against British government complicity in Israel's genocide, including on the matter of UK arms exports. 5. The bigger picture: All of this is being done to keep UK weapons flowing to Israel as it continues its annihilation of Gaza.