\n
<\/p>\n
LONDON: An online fundraiser to support the UK Supreme Court challenge to the ban on Palestine Action has been blocked due to US sanctions against the group.<\/p>\n
UK company CrowdJustice declined to host the crowdfunding campaign because it uses US company Stripe as a payment processor, The Guardian reported on Friday.<\/p>\n
The campaign sought to raise funds toward legal fees in the campaign to fight Palestine Action\u2019s proscription in the UK.<\/p>\n
The Guardian gained access to an email sent by CrowdJustice. It said Stripe confirmed \u201cthat it cannot support accounts or transactions linked to, or for the benefit of, Palestine Action. This includes circumstances where funds are being raised for legal proceedings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, who brought the legal challenge against the British ban, said: \u201cDue to CrowdJustice\u2019s and other platforms\u2019 reliance on US services, we are unable to fundraise for legal fees needed for our Supreme Court challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the other hand, the state continues to spend millions of pounds to cover their legal costs to defend the disproportionate and draconian ban, which has led to more than 3,700 arrests for holding signs (due to alleged support of a proscribed organization).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe British government and the US are putting every possible obstacle in our way, in order to stack the odds against us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UK Home Office has so far spent more than $900,000 defending the ban in the High Court, The Independent reported.<\/p>\n
The estimated legal cost figure is expected to be far higher after the case since moved to the Court of Appeal, which overturned the High Court\u2019s decision that the ban was unlawful. The case will move to the UK\u2019s highest court next month.<\/p>\n
Days after then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to ban Palestine Action last year, a CrowdJustice legal crowdfunding campaign raised more than \u00a3300,000 ($396,000).<\/p>\n
As a result of proscription, Palestine Action is listed with groups such as Daesh and Boko Haram.<\/p>\n
Ammori said: \u201cClearly, the powerful have banded together against citizens acting on their conscience against the Israeli war machine and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. It is extremely clear that Palestine Action faces harsher sanctions than Israel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Supreme Court case is extremely important for our rights to free speech in Britain, but also for the people of Palestine.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are successful, all prosecutions of protesters who held signs will be rightfully quashed. If not, we will witness thousands of people facing jail for holding placards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Craig Murray, a former British diplomat turned human rights campaigner, is separately challenging the ban\u2019s legality in Scotland.<\/p>\n
Murray\u2019s own CrowdJustice fundraiser for legal fees was also removed after the US designated Palestine Action as a global terror organization.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s really disgraceful. Not only do you have draconian legislation with the proscription of Palestine Action affecting freedom of speech, but you\u2019ve then got moves to cripple our ability to fight it legally through the courts, which is just adding injustice to injustice.\u201d<\/p>\n
In response to The Guardian, Stripe said it did not comment on individual users.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n