

152: Protests, Placards, Palestine and Private Eye
26 snips Jul 29, 2025
Join John Farley, a retired headteacher turned activist, alongside Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, and contributors Helen Lewis and Adam McQueen for a lively discussion. Farley shares his experience of being arrested for holding a comical placard at a pro-Palestine march. The team tackles the delicate balance between humor and activism, explores the classification of protest movements as terrorism, and dissects the growing divide between public sentiment and political stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict. It's a blend of laughs and serious discourse!
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John Farley's Arrest Story
- John Farley was arrested for holding a placard with a Private Eye joke at a pro-Palestine march.
- Police handcuffed him and took him to a station for questioning under anti-terror laws.
Terror Label Misconflates Protest
- Classifying Palestine Action as a terrorist group conflates peaceful protest with terrorism.
- This risks penalizing ordinary supporters and confuses the police operational response.
Public Opinion Diverges on Palestine
- UK public opinion on Palestine is more skeptical of Israel than political elites.
- Emotional images of suffering children shape popular support for Palestinian aid.