Carole Vincent reports from a protest outside Thames Magistrates Court supporting arrested Palestine activist Waseem Yousaf

On Thursday morning at Thames Magistrates Court, Bow, East London, Waseem Yousaf, a pro-Palestine activist and prolific fundraiser, was summoned to appear in order to answer a charge of assaulting an emergency worker. 

The alleged offence took place on 12 July last year, only a week after Starmer’s Labour Party became the government and Starmer Prime Minister. The country, and Yousaf himself, a peaceful man, felt the direction of play with a dark mood descending, as our civil liberties and freedom of speech were rapidly being torn from us. At the time of arrest Yousaf was in Whitechapel by the Market and opposite Tower Hamlets Town Hall. He was stopped in his very recognisable vehicle with its Palestinian flag proudly flying, wearing his trademark Palestinian vest. 

He was not breaking any laws and there was no reason for his arrest. Yousaf is well known for his fundraising to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians being brutally bombed and attacked by Netanyahu’s Israeli Government. Yousaf found himself ferociously attacked as from nowhere, a thuggery of police descended upon him, beating him, leaving him injured, traumatised and arrested. 

Since his arrest, supporters have protested at Bethnal Green Police Station on many occasions, calling for the charge to be dropped and for the police officers who assaulted Yousaf to be charged with assault. The incident in a very public area, was filmed by many bystanders who caught the assault on Yousaf on their phones. It has taken seven months for Yousaf to be charged and brought to court where, at Thames Magistrates on Thursday, he pleaded “not guilty” to an assault on an emergency worker, and will now have a trial by jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 13 March. 

This is one of a number of worrying state attacks on those speaking up, speaking out and taking actions against Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. Yousaf is an innocent man and would appreciate the support of those who believe in justice and demand the right to protest and share solidarity with the Palestinian people, to attend his trial on 13 March at Snaresbrook Crown Court.