Foyle MP Colum Eastwood Accepts Police Warning for Illegal Pro-Palestine Parade in Londonderry

Colum Eastwood, the Foyle MP and former SDLP leader, has accepted an "informed warning" from the PSNI as an alternative to prosecution for participating in an unnotified pro-Palestinian parade in Derry on February 14, 2024. The parade was held to protest Israel's military actions in Gaza and was deemed illegal under Northern Ireland's parade legislation. An informed warning serves as a formal reprimand without constituting a criminal conviction but remains on the recipient's record for one year. Eastwood expressed strong support for the protest, condemning the violence in Gaza and criticizing the prosecution of peaceful demonstrators. Meanwhile, five other individuals charged in relation to the same event are contesting the charges, with their cases adjourned for further court proceedings. The court hopes the resolution of Eastwood's case will not require further attention, while the other defendants continue to prepare for contesting their charges.