Image from Red Flag (AU)

Bella Beiraghi, a national convener of Students for Palestine and UMSU Students’ Councillor representing the Left Action-Free Palestine ticket, was arrested by police at the National Day of Action protest on Thursday 7 August.

At the time of the arrest, Beiraghi was engaged in an act of nonviolent protest, sitting in the intersection of Flinders and Bourke Streets with a group of other protesters. Beiraghi reported to Farrago that she was arrested along with around five others for obstructing the road and refusing a move-on order, issued a temporary 24 hour ban from the city and advised she would be charged on summons.

‘We were sitting down peacefully protesting when armed police ripped us off the ground and carried us away. This is widely over the top and an egregious attack on our civil liberties. We have the right to protest. This shows the lengths that the police will go to in attempting to silence those who stand against the genocide in Gaza,’ said Beiraghi.