Palestinian Activists Detained In London Due To Sweaters Imaged By Palestinian Maps

Illustration- (DOK Ehimethalor Akhere/Unsplash)

JAKARTA - A Palestinian activist was detained at Heathrow Airport, London, for wearing a sweater with a Palestinian map. The detention carried out by the police uses the Firearms Act.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, April 20, when the activist arrived covering the departure of Israeli politician Gideon Sa'ar, who was accused of involvement in war crimes in Gaza.

The detention sparked accusations of political oppression and racial discriminatory practices in Britain. In a video shared on social media, the activist appears to have been stopped by a fully armed police officer questioning his clothing.

The sweater he was wearing features a Palestinian map with a keffiyeh motif -- a typical symbol of the Palestinian struggle -- which authorities consider provocative.

Anadolu news agency has contacted the London Metropolitan Police for further information, but has not received a response until this news is broadcast.

The detention comes amid rising tensions surrounding Gideon Sa'ar's departure from London.

While in the British capital, Sa'ar reportedly held a meeting with a number of British government officials, despite calls from various parties for him to be arrested.

Sa'ar's visit, which was referred to as a "private visit" by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sparked pressure from human rights activists so that legal proceedings were carried out immediately.

Several groups even tried to bring the case to court on suspicion of his involvement in war crimes.

The London-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), along with the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), has sent a joint letter to the British Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecution.

The letter asked for approval to file a criminal charge privately.

The two organizations have also prepared a request for an arrest warrant that is planned to be submitted to the Westminster Magistrat Court.

Critics consider the detention to reflect a broader pattern in suppressing pro-Palestinian expressions in the UK.

In recent months, several cases have been recorded where residents face legal action or police interrogation just because they show symbols associated with Palestine.

For example, a teenager was interrogated by anti-terror police at an airport for wearing a Palestinian flag, and another was prosecuted for wearing a headband bearing the symbol of Islam in a pro-Palestinian demonstration.