British Pro-Palestine Activists Have Bank Account Closed Amid Crackdown Fears
John Nicholson and Norma Turner's joint bank account closed without explanation; fears of broader coordinated crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism in Britain.
LONDON: A retired British couple who are part of local pro-Palestine activist groups have had their joint bank account closed without explanation.
John Nicholson, 70, and Norma Turner, 86, serve as treasurer and chair, respectively, of Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine (GMFP), whose own bank account with Virgin Money was also frozen.The couple's personal account with Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) was used as a savings account.
They received the full balance via check after being informed of its closure.
Nicholson, a retired immigration barrister, and Turner, a former nurse, expressed confusion over the account's sudden closure, given their clean financial history and lack of any criminal records.They had been using the account to roll forward fixed-term bonds, and YBS had accepted this activity just one month prior.
The couple suspects that their activism is the reason behind the account's closure, particularly in light of GMFP’s bank account being frozen on July 10, five days after the proscription of Palestine Action, with which GMFP has no connection.GMFP's activities include letter-writing, consumer boycotting, leafleting, social media engagement, widespread protests, and direct action.
Another member of GMFP had their personal account also frozen, though they wished to remain anonymous.Nicholson questions the rationale behind their bank account’s closure, referencing the ban on Palestine Action and the freezing of accounts for other pro-Palestinian organizations, such as the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC), whose account with Unity Trust Bank was frozen in June due to its website featuring a donation button for Palestine Action before the group's banning.Despite removing the button after proscription, SPSC’s account remains frozen.
All three banks—YBS, Virgin Money, and Unity Trust—declined to comment on individual cases, citing that accounts are closed only in rare circumstances based on specific facts of the case.
John Nicholson, 70, and Norma Turner, 86, serve as treasurer and chair, respectively, of Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine (GMFP), whose own bank account with Virgin Money was also frozen.The couple's personal account with Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) was used as a savings account.
They received the full balance via check after being informed of its closure.
Nicholson, a retired immigration barrister, and Turner, a former nurse, expressed confusion over the account's sudden closure, given their clean financial history and lack of any criminal records.They had been using the account to roll forward fixed-term bonds, and YBS had accepted this activity just one month prior.
The couple suspects that their activism is the reason behind the account's closure, particularly in light of GMFP’s bank account being frozen on July 10, five days after the proscription of Palestine Action, with which GMFP has no connection.GMFP's activities include letter-writing, consumer boycotting, leafleting, social media engagement, widespread protests, and direct action.
Another member of GMFP had their personal account also frozen, though they wished to remain anonymous.Nicholson questions the rationale behind their bank account’s closure, referencing the ban on Palestine Action and the freezing of accounts for other pro-Palestinian organizations, such as the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC), whose account with Unity Trust Bank was frozen in June due to its website featuring a donation button for Palestine Action before the group's banning.Despite removing the button after proscription, SPSC’s account remains frozen.
All three banks—YBS, Virgin Money, and Unity Trust—declined to comment on individual cases, citing that accounts are closed only in rare circumstances based on specific facts of the case.