ACTIVISTS detained for pro-Palestine protests must have all charges against them dropped, Britain’s biggest Civil Service union said today.

Delegates to Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union’s annual conference also voted to help organise demonstrations outside courthouses after such arrests are made. 

They backed a motion calling on the union to make a donation of £1,500 to the Workers for a Free Palestine Arrestee Legal Fee Support and the Palestine Action Legal Defence Fund respectively to help cover current and future legal costs.

Nearly 80 protesters were arrested at a national demonstration for Palestine on January 18, including Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal and Stop The War Coalition’s Chris Nineham, who await trial for alleged public order offences.

More than 20 Palestine Action activists are also detained and awaiting trial. 

Twelve trade unionist members of Workers for a Free Palestine were arrested during protests outside government offices in May and July last year.