“We are deeply concerned about the health of young activists known as the Filton 24, including those on hunger strike while held in prison without trial.
Several are the same age as young people in our movement and many of our young people are demanding that we speak up. We have written to the Secretary of State for Justice calling for urgent action to uphold the young protesters’ rights, including their right to health and their right to humane treatment.
Action is needed now!”
Woodcraft Folk is deeply concerned about the continued detention and deteriorating health of young activists known as the Filton 24, and in particular the 8 individuals currently on hunger strike while held on extended remand. Woodcraft Folk’s young members perceive the use of terrorism legislation against direct-action protesters as having a chilling effect on civic participation and expressions of the right to peaceful protest. Our young members have expressed shock at the treatment of the activists in detention because they have grown up in our movement “rooted in solidarity in the face of injustice, specifically encouraging young peoples’ empowerment and engagement in political protest.”
Several of those detained are very young adults, including people the same age as members of our youth movement. Reports from families and legal representatives indicate rapidly worsening health, hospitalisation, and serious barriers to accessing medical care, legal counsel, and contact with loved ones. These reports raise grave concerns about humane detention conditions and the safeguarding of young people in custody.
As a movement of and for children and young people, we believe it is our responsibility to speak out when young people’s rights are at risk. This includes the right to healthcare, the right to humane treatment, and the right to a fair and prompt trial.
We share the serious concerns raised by organisations including Amnesty International about the use of counter terrorism powers in these cases. The application of terrorism legislation to protest related actions, and its use to justify prolonged pre-trial detention and harsher prison conditions, poses wider risks to civil liberties and the right to protest in the UK. Woodcraft Folk carefully educates children and young people to engage in public life, but that education is undone when protestors are punished excessively and without a timely trial.
We have written to the Secretary of State for Justice calling for immediate action, including to bring an end to any excessively lengthy pre-trial detention, guarantees of humane detention conditions, and an end to retrospective use of counter terrorism powers in relation to actions that pre-date the proscription of Palestine Action.
The situation is urgent. Further delay risks serious and irreversible harm to young people who have not been convicted of any offence.
Action is needed now.
