The 83-year-old retired priest was arrested for refusing a newly enforced ban on Palestinian actions by Palestinian parent groups hours after the group was officially banned by the British government, Mee reported.
The Rev. Sue Perfit, from Bristol, was detained with a placard that read, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestinian actions.” She was among more than 27 people arrested Saturday for acts of rebellion against the ban.
Perfit’s arrest sparked widespread outrage over social media. One user called it “authoritarianism and crackdown on freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” while another questioned whether calling her a “hero” was illegal now.
Her friend Jerry Hicks demanded her release, saying, “She is against genocide and that’s not a crime.”
Another social media user said, “Incredibly brave from the Super Fit Pastor, those who remember when all of this is a distant nightmare.”
The arrest came just after midnight on Saturday. Government orders that label Palestine’s actions have had legal effects on terrorist groups. Supporting or participating in a group is currently subject to a prison fine of up to 14 years.