Private Eye Editor Criticises Arrest of Pensioner Under Terrorism Act in Leeds Protest

Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, has condemned the arrest of 67-year-old Jon Farley, a retired teacher, who was detained under terrorism charges for holding up a satirical Private Eye cartoon at a silent pro-Palestine protest in Leeds. The cartoon criticized the UK government's proscription of Palestine Action, a group recently designated a terrorist organization after an incident involving spray-painting military planes. Farley was arrested under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, handcuffed, and held for six hours before being released on bail with conditions prohibiting attendance at Palestine Action rallies, despite never having attended any such events. Hislop described the arrest as "mind-boggling" and emphasized that the cartoon clearly represented freedom of speech and was a black satire on government policy, not support for terrorism. Farley and Hislop have demanded an apology from West Yorkshire Police, with Farley describing the experience as "terrifying and upsetting" and criticizing the police's lack of clarity and the atmosphere of intimidation around peaceful protests. The case has raised concerns about the limits of protest and free expression in the context of anti-terror laws.