'Terror' protester, aged 80, arrested and risking jail, set for a further demo

Political activist supports proscribed Palestine Action and is on bail but remains defiant. By Jonathon Hill

- By Jonathon Hill

An 80-year-old woman from Wales arrested on suspicion of a terror offence says she will do it again next month even though she could end up in prison.

Elizabeth Morley, from Trisant, near Aberystwyth, was arrested on August 9 for taking part in a protest in London during which she held up a banner in support of newly proscribed terrorist organisation Palestine Action. It comes after 70 people were arrested in July for protesting in support of the group outside the BBC building in Cardiff.

Elizabeth, a former teacher turned-political activist, was arrested alongside 531 others for holding signs outside Westminster which read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” Videos then went viral showing frail Elizabeth alongside others being arrested by police.

Reflecting on her arrest from her home in rural west Wales, Elizabeth said: “Because over 500 people were there the police couldn't take everyone to a police station so they set up what they called open-air police processing points.

“We were standing in queues underneath a couple of gazebos set up in King Charles Street. There were four queues formed and policemen were sitting at the end of those queues with laptops checking people’s IDs and processing their arrest. It was quite an experience.

“I was told I could either go to the police station that day to be interviewed or I could provide my ID and be released until they recalled me for an interview. I would have gone to the station quite happily but I had family visiting in the next two days and I needed to get home to make cakes. So I opted for street bail.”