Anger as Totnes vicar is arrested at Palestine protest

South Devon MP Caroline Voaden has spoken out after the vicar of Totnes was arrested in London while taking part in a protest on Gaza.

Father Jim Barlow was among nearly 900 people arrested by the Metropolitan Police for taking part in a protest against the ban on the group Palestine Action on Saturday.
“He is one of the most peaceful men I’ve ever met,” said Mrs Voaden.
Police said the majority of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act. The government proscribed Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation in July, making membership of or support of the group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The group was banned after activists broke into an RAF base and sprayed two military aircraft with paint earlier this year.
An estimated 1,500 people took part in the protest in Parliament Square.
Mrs Voaden went on: “No, I don’t believe Palestine Action should have been proscribed. And yes, I agree that everyone should have the right to protest peacefully about things they care about.
“Jim was arrested alongside several friends from Totnes. I’m not surprised – but I’m left wondering whether we really have our law and order priorities right.”
In an interview before the weekend’s protest, Mrs Voaden said the situation in Gaza had been one of the main topics raised by local people during her ‘whistle stop’ summer tour of the constituency.
She visited 52 local communities of various sizes during the tour.
“People are really distressed about what they’re seeing and really bemused at what seems to be a complete lack of action by the government,” she said. “There are lots of warm words about how awful it is, but people just don’t understand what’s going on and why our government is not more determined to act.”
Mrs Voaden called for more sanctions on Israel and a halt to all arms exports. She said the Lib Dems believed the government should recognise Palestine.
“I find it harder and harder to watch a people basically being erased from the map,” she said. “I find it really difficult to accept that there’s nothing more that the Western Allies can do.”
Father Jim Barlow confirmed that he had been arrested during the protest. As of Monday evening he had not been charged with any offence.