News / protest
83-year-old Bristol priest arrested for being a pacifist
An 83-year-old retired priest from Bristol was among 27 people arrested in Parliament Square for offences under the Terrorism Act.
Reverend Sue Parfitt from Henbury was taking part in a Defend Our Juries protest sitting silently by the statue of Mahatma Gandhi holding a cardboard sign with the words ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’
The peaceful protest took place the day after Palestine Action was among three groups proscribed as terrorist organisations, meaning that expressing support or belonging to them is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
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Among Bristol’s elected representatives in Westminster, only Bristol Central’s Green Party MP Carla Denyer voted against proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, with Denyer calling them “a civil disobedience group”.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said that “violence and serious criminal damage has no place in legitimate protests” but groups including Amnesty International said banning Palestine Action was “a disturbing legal overreach” by the government.
Suspended Labour MP Zarah Sultana tweeted: “27 people – including a priest, a professor and health workers – were arrested today under terrorist laws. Their crime? Peacefully holding signs opposing genocide. This is how we sleepwalk into fascism.”
Speaking to the media just before she was led away by police on Saturday, Parfitt said she was at the protest “to stand up for the people of Palestine and the fact that this organisation is being said is a terrorist organisation which is total nonsense, and that we are losing our civil liberties in this country”.
Parfitt became a nun after graduating from the University of Bristol, then trained as a social worker and then as a family therapist, before being ordained in 1994 as soon as women were able to become priests.
She estimates she has been arrested around 30 times at various protests.
In 2024, the bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull, declined to grant permission to officiate to Parfitt “based on the fact that Ms Parfitt is facing criminal charges in ongoing court proceedings” following a Just Stop Oil at the British Library.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said: “We commend the counter terrorism police for their decisive action in protecting the people of London from some cardboard signs opposing the genocide in Gaza and expressing support for those taking action to prevent it.
“It’s a relief to know that counter terrorism police have nothing better to do.”
Protesters were sitting by the statue of Gandhi holding home-made cardboard signs – photo: Defend Our Juries
Palestine Action have held a number of protests at the Aztec West-based headquarters of arms firm Elbit Systems, including in August 2024 when police say that two officers were attacked with a sledgehammer, and at least one Elbit employee was also treated at the scene for an injury to their head.
A statement from the Metropolitan Police ahead of the protest in which Parfitt was arrested said: “Palestine Action has now been proscribed by the UK Government and expressing support for them is a criminal offence in the UK.
“There are a number of events taking place in London this weekend and anyone attending should be aware that officers policing these will act where criminal offences, including those related to support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed.”
Main photo: Defend Our Juries
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