[Opinion: As a lifelong nonviolent direct actionist, any Brit or Irishperson will remember that the UK govt did not intervene and allowed 22 Irish Republican hunger strikers to starve to death on hunger strike between 1917 and 1981. The most famous are the ten men who died in the Maze prison, including British MP Bobby Sands. Buafaidh Sinn Féin!

 

There has been no coverage of the Palestine Action hunger strikers in any mainstream media. Five of them have been hospitalised. Palestine Action’s legal appeal to rescind the ban has been postponed and the cabinet minister effecting the ban has stepped down. Complete article and opinion used with permission.]

 

Activists oppose the British state’s clampdown with hunger strikes

Those on hunger strike need full solidarity, Quessa Zura and Amu Gib striking for 46 days; Heba Murais 45 days; Tueta Hoxha 39 days; Kamran Ahmed 38 days; Lewie Chiaramello 24 days

By Arthur Townend, Socialist Worker: 09 December 2025

 

Palestine Action activists at the Elbit factory in Leicester (Pic: Guy Smallman)

 

Palestine activists imprisoned under the British state’s despotic clampdown are resisting.

 

Since November, some eight campaigners have joined a hunger strike while in prison.

 

They are on remand—held without trial—allegedly in connection to action against Elbit Systems and at the RAF’s Brize Norton base.

 

Nida is a Palestine activist who knows Amu Gib—a hunger striker at HMP Bronzefield. He was remanded for alleged action at Brize Norton.

 

“Since incarceration, the British state has taken anything it can away from them,” Nida told Socialist Worker.

The hunger strike was triggered after the proscription of Palestine Action, but “after the ban, prison conditions got worse”.

 

Prisoners have reported regular abuse and arbitrary restrictions.

 

Teuta Hoxha was arrested following alleged involvement in the Filton action against Elbit Systems.

 

“Her conditions got so bad after proscription she had to go on hunger strike just for better conditions,” Nida said.

 

The strikers’ campaign has several demands. Around conditions, they want an end the censorship in jail, as letters and phone calls have been blocked.

 

And they want immediate bail. The prisoners have been held on remand for nearly two years, well over the six-month limit. They are demanding the right to a fair trial.

 

But they are also fighting for the de-proscription of Palestine Action and that Elbit Systems be shut down. Nida said that the hunger strike, and the way the state is responding is “revealing”.

 

“You can clearly tell the Islamophobia and Zionism that runs through this, having to use terrorism laws to criminalise them.”

 

And she slammed the British state for “wanting to actively be involved with Elbit Systems, to be profiting” from genocide.

“The British state’s priority lies with Israel. I can’t even describe the war crimes we’ve seen—they’re incomprehensible.”

 

While the campaign has got an early day motion in parliament, led by Labour MP John McDonnell, Nida decried the wider silence around the strike.

 

“David Lammy keeps telling us he doesn’t know anything about it—that’s a big fat lie.

 

“It’s been an uphill battle to get a single Observer article—the media don’t want to report on it. We don’t understand this—it feels undignified. Can you not have humanity for people trying to expose Britain’s role on genocide?

 

“People feel really strongly about this,” Nida added, citing the mass movement on the streets and the protests against the ban on Palestine Action.

 

“Our friends are putting their lives on the line in prison. The state can’t stop the movement—they have tried and they haven’t.”

 

Those on hunger strike need full solidarity, especially as some now have life-threatening conditions.

 

And with the ongoing trial of the Filton 24, and judicial review of the ban on Palestine Action, the hunger strike is highlighting the brutality of the state.

 

The state’s overwhelming repression stems from the fact that Palestine Action was “so successful”. “Social media was exploding, normal people were getting behind the group,” she said.

 

“The government has contracts with Elbit, Leonardo and so on, but Palestine Action disrupted that.”

 

After the protest, some activists marched to the BBC and broke into the headquarters at Portland Place. It was a stark reminder of the media’s complicity in genocide and its complete silence over the hunger strikers.

 

To support the campaign, go to

 

To join Palestine Action:

 

A very confused post.The comparison with the IRA hunger strikers is misplaced since the latter , in their eyes anyway, were fighting a war for independence with the British state.The current set of jokers are starving themselves on the ludicrous grounds that the British government is complicit with alleged genocide. No serious person believes this and that's why other than within the lunatic leftist fringes, they have no public support at all.

 

It's a lie by the way that the mainstream media have not covered Palestinian Action's antics.; it's been extensively reported. I note however this account doesn't mention the group"s attack on a police officer with sledgehammers, breaking her spine.

 

Anyway these creeps can end their ordeal anytime they like by tucking into some prison grub.As one of the less famous IRA hunger strikers, finally conceded, "OI tink oi'll have a bit of that Christmas puddin' after all."

Are these the idiots that broke a policewoman's neck?

 

Actually they broke a policewoman's back by hitting her with a sledgehammer.

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-obhMBSWi4c

Yes, this atrocious incident happened. But it is not the Palestine Action I know. No PA activist except this showed any intention to use weapons against factory employees or police.

 

Yes, the Israeli company was manufacturing military parts for use on Gaza.

 

There is never any excuse for violence. Frankly, I am ashamed to hear of this.

A month later and she's still "near death"

Another case of dishonesty from the Palestine side

Nick, I think you should try fasting for 73 days. It might improve your mood!