Jon Farley carried a placard bearing an image from the satirical magazine but insists he was not demonstrating any support for a proscribed group
July 25, 2025 10:40
A pro-Palestine protester was arrested during a march in Leeds for holding a placard bearing a joke from satirical magazine Private Eye on the topic of Palestine Action.
Playing on the name of the terror group in light of its recent proscription, the graphic made what Eye editor Ian Hislop called a “rather black but...neat and darkly comic” joke about allegations that the IDF had targeted civilians queuing for aid in Gaza – a claim which Israel denies.
The image discussed two “different types of actions taking place over the issue of Palestine – i.e. wordplay “Palestine, actions,” said Hislop.
It read: “Palestine Action explained.
"Unacceptable Palestine Action: Spraying military planes with paint [which led to the proscription of the Palestine Action group].
"Acceptable Palestine Action: Shooting Palestinians queuing for food.”
The graphic appeared in Eye 1653, published earlier this month, but an enlarged image of it was carried as a placard by Jon Farley during a pro-Palestine protest in Leeds last weekend.
Farley’s version was identical to that which appeared in the magazine and was attributed to Eye by a handwritten caption.
Nonetheless, he was arrested by officers from West Yorkshire Police under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which bans the invitation of support for proscribed groups.
He told The Guardian: “[Police officers] picked me up, grabbed me, and took me to the side, and I ended up sitting on the pavement.
"I think that’s when they said something about the placard. And I said: ‘Well it’s a cartoon from Private Eye. I can show you. I’ve got the magazine in my bag,’ by which time, they were putting me in handcuffs."
He was subsequently released without bail and no charges have yet been brought against him. His only bail condition is not to attend any “Palestine Action rallies”, which are already illegal under the Terrorism Act.
"I clearly wasn’t any kind of physical threat. There was no need for them to act in the way they did,” he went on. “There’s been no apology, no explanation. It’s this murky lack of clarity.
"I was just very shocked at first and then relieved, but now I’m thinking, ‘hang on a minute, what happened here?’
"What really concerns me is the whole atmosphere of intimidation.”
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “We are sorry that the man involved is unhappy with the circumstances of this arrest.
"As this is a new proscribed organisation, West Yorkshire police is considering any individual or organisational learning from this incident.”
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