Young people who took part in the mass demonstrations against Israel's attack on Gaza in January 2009 are being handed down jail sentences for minor offences. A protest has been called this Friday 26 February at Isleworth Crown Court and there will be a public meeting, open to all, in Parliament next Tuesday 2 March (details below).

Friday's protest and Tuesday's public meeting will be in support of those now being treated so harshly by the courts, and to defend our democratic right of protest.

Israel's barbarism -- which devastated Gaza and left 1400 dead -- brought tens of thousands on to London's streets, including the demonstration of over 100,000 on 10 January 2009.

Numerous complaints were made about police aggressive behaviour on the Gaza demonstrations. Thousands of protestors were 'kettled' -- illegally held for hours and only released after the police had obtained their names and addresses.

In the months that followed the demonstrations, over 90 protestors were arrested -- most of them Muslims, many of them teenagers, often in intimidating dawn raids. More than seventy of those arrested were charged with disorder offences.

The courts are now hearing these cases. The defendants pleading guilty are being tried first and the sentences have been draconian. The judge has made clear that he is issuing deterrent sentences.

We are seeing first-time offenders receiving two and a half  years imprisonment for minor offences which would not normally face custodial sentences.

It is hard not to conclude that this is a concerted attempt by the police and judiciary to  criminalise protest, intimidating in particular young Muslims.

Meanwhile, there has been no investigation into the aggressive and often violent policing on the Gaza demonstrations, despite the high level of complaints.

And while these young people are facing years in prison for protesting against Israel's war crimes, no one is being held to account for those crimes, which have been fully documented by reports from the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others.

FOR MORE BACKGROUND TO THE COURT CASES, GO TO: http://www.facebook.com/l/6baa8;bit.ly/daqyC7

Read Seamus Milne in the Guardian

FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY, 9.30AM 
DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST 
SUPPORT THE GAZA PROTESTORS 
ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT   
36 Ridgeway Road, Isleworth TW7 5LP 
(nearest tube Osterley on the Piccadilly Line)

For more info: contact the Stop the War office: 020 7801 2768,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEXT TUESDAY 2 MARCH 6.30 PM - 8.30 PM   
PUBLIC MEETING ON JAILING OF GAZA PROTESTERS 
Speakers include Jeremy Corbyn MP, George Galloway MP, Andrew Murray (Stop the War), Betty Hunter (Palestine Solidarity Campaign), speaker from British Muslim Initiative COMMITTEE ROOM 19, HOUSE OF COMMONS, LONDON SW1 (St Stephens entrance, allow plenty of time to get through security). 
Organised by Stop the War, PSC, BMI and supported by CND.