Former MP George Galloway was detained by police at Gatwick Airport under the Terrorism Act, his party has claimed, following a visit to Russia.
The 71-year-old was stopped by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command at London Gatwick Airport along with his wife on Saturday as they returned on a flight from Abu Dhabi after initially travelling to Moscow.
The Workers Party GB, which Galloway leads as party leader, released a statement on X which said: “At 11am we were informed by police officers in Gatwick that our party leader George Galloway and his wife have been detained at the airport.
“The police agreed that they would pass a message to our comrades from us and pass back a reply from them. Despite repeated attempts to gather further information, and despite repeated calls to the police, we have no further information on their wellbeing, nor on the observation of their rights.
“There is no information on charges or alleged offences. Therefore we may conclude this is politically motivated intimidation. We call on all supporters and friends to amplify this message and demand the IMMEDIATE RELEASE of our leaders.”
The Met confirmed that Galloway and his wife were stopped by officers, but were not arrested, and later allowed to continue on their way.
A Met spokesperson has been quoted saying: “We can confirm that on Saturday, 27 September, counter terrorism officers at Gatwick Airport stopped a man in his 70s and a woman in her 40s under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. Neither of them were arrested and they were allowed on their way.”
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Under Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, officers are allowed to stop, question, search and detain a person at a port or the border area in the UK and Northern Ireland for the purpose of determining whether the person appears to be a person who is, or has been, engaged in hostile activity.
The legislation also allows for the examination of goods for the purpose of determining whether they have been used in connection with a person’s engagement in hostile activity.
The news has sent shockwaves across pro-Palestine circles with prominent figures releasing statements of support on X.
Adnan Hussain, the independent Muslim MP for Blackburn, said: “This is not the Britain we’re meant to be. Mandatory digital IDs, pensioners arrested for protesting genocide, and now detaining political leaders along with their families. This isn’t liberal democracy. It’s becoming a dystopian police state. Solidarity.”
Journalist and political activist Yvonne Ridley said: “I can’t believe our Workers Party GB and Workers Party Scotland boss George Galloway has been detained under the Terrorism Act. This is outrageous & Zionism at work.”
Fellow Workers Party member and former Labour MP Chris Williamson also commented: My friend and comrade, George Galloway, who is the leader of my party, the Workers Party, was detained by police at Gatwick Airport this morning. Wtf is happening to our country? What hell are you playing at Sussex Police? This is totally out of order.”
Galloway has worked for Russian-state media including RT in the past and has been a vocal critic of NATO and the West’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing war between Moscow and Kiev.
Galloway has also been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause for many years, however, his staunch support for the Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad has put him at odds with various Muslim groups and activists in more recent times.
