Three guilty of terror offence over paraglider images at pro-Palestine march

Three people have today (13 February) been found guilty of a terror offence after they displayed images of paragliders at a pro-Palestine march in London, a week after Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October last year.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard, Heba Alhayek and Pauline Ankunda attached images to their backs, while Noimutu Olayinka Taiwo stuck one to a placard’s handle

They were charged under the Terrorism Act with carrying or displaying an article to arouse reasonable suspicion that they are supporters of banned organisation Hamas, which they denied.

But following a two-day trial, the trio were found guilty after prosecutors argued it was “no coincidence” the defendants were displaying the images so soon after the attack.

Reacting to the verdict, the Crown Prosecution Service said displaying the images amounted to the “glorification of the actions” of Hamas.

Lawyers for the group had suggested they were actually displaying images of a parachute emoji rather than paragliders, and claimed police had “mistaken” what they saw that day.

Mark Summers KC, representing Alhayek and Ankunda, said the idea that the image was a paraglider started with “an internet group with an agenda”.

He also argued that flying-related images were a common symbol of peace in the region and described them as “cartoon parachute”.

Mr Summers added police had “mistaken” what they saw and were fed a narrative by partisan social media groups.

This breaking news story is being updated.