UKLFI has urged the police to investigate the perpetrators of a billboard campaign aimed at demonising Israel.

An individual, who goes by the name of Abu Amanaah, has uploaded a video to social media showing billboards being erected at bus stops in the east London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The billboards claim that “Palestine has the right to resist” against Israel, and text at the end of the video proclaims “While Palestine is occupied, resistance is justified”.

Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, has written to the Metropolitan Police to report this, on the grounds that, in her view, the video expresses an opinion or belief supportive of a terro+rist organisation which is proscribed pursuant to the Terrorism Act 2000, namely Hamas.

In her letter, she says: “The video shows a group of men wearing high visibility jackets over dark clothes illegally opening up the billboards on bus stops, presumably in the Tower Hamlets area, and inserting anti-Israel pro-Palestinian propaganda posters, designed to stir up racial hatred.

 “The offences were carried out following attacks by Hamas against Israel, commencing on 7 October 2023, during which over 1,500 Israelis were brutally murdered and scores of hostages were taken, including infants and elderly. These attacks have been condemned by the Prime-Minister.”

Ms Turner explained in her letter to the police that the comment “While Palestine is occupied, resistance is justified”  appears to justify the horrific massacre by Hamas of the Israelis on 7 October, as well as the burnings, torture, rapes and kidnappings. This is in breach of s 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The posters on display in the video, and indeed on display around Tower Hamlets, show a variety of slogans including:

“Israel murdered 25,000+ innocent men, women and children. Wouldn’t you resist? Palestine has the right to resist.”

“Israel is committing war crimes against civilians. Wouldn’t you resist? Palestine has the right to resist.”

“Israel stole my family home. Wouldn’t you resist? Palestine has the right to resist.”

“Israel murdered my entire family. Wouldn’t you resist? Palestine has the right to resist.”

Ms Turner says: “In my view all these slogans are likely to stir up racial hatred of Israelis and Jews, and to encourage violence against Israelis and Jews contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.”

UKLFI has urged Scotland Yard to investigate this matter and has also drawn the police’s attention to a website which explains how best to attach Palestinian flags to lamp posts in the street, and indicates that this is how they did it in Tower Hamlets.

Ms Turner informed the police that in her view this website is encouraging people to carry out unlawful activity.