Secret ‘terror’ trials in the UK

openDemocracy Weekly Newsletter 13 June 2026

Published:

June 13, 2026, 6:00 am

In this week's issue

How pro-Palestine activists became first protesters in Britain to be sentenced as terrorists without being convicted of terror offences

As billionaires incited far-right violence in Belfast, ordinary people mobilised to protect our neighbours

Is Keir Starmer rushing into plans to ban social media for under-16s?

Trump has threatened a military intervention in Cuba, but there is no guarantee it would deliver a democratic transition

Netanyahu is facing his biggest loss: A collapse in US support

If Andy Burnham becomes PM, he must invest in care to grow the UK’s economy

Despite privacy concerns, getting rid of Palantir now may not solve the problems its Federated Data Platform has created

From the Archive: Swedish teen’s murder exploited by the far right

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Imagine a trial where the jury doesn’t know what the defendants are being tried for , the defendants aren’t allowed to explain their actions , and the police arrest citizens peacefully holding signs saying “Jurors deserve to hear the whole truth”. Could this happen in the UK?

Yes, if you are one of four Palestine Action activists who yesterday became the first protesters in Britain to be sentenced as terrorists without being convicted of terror offences, as Nandini Naira Archer reports in this week’s issue of The Weekly. The activists will now be officially recorded as terrorists for the rest of their lives. Read Nandini’s piece to find out more about what the ruling means and the terrifying precedent it sets for protest rights.

Meanwhile, let’s talk about Belfast. After the protests in Southampton earlier this month, a blueprint is emerging: A grisly crime is committed, Nigel Farage demands the disclosure of the nationality and immigration status of the perpetrator, rising tensions are further inflamed on X by its now-trillionaire owner, Elon Musk, rioters spread fear and chaos, prime minister Keir Starmer flaps helplessly.

But as our politicians fail us, the people of this land draw on deep wellsprings of community and solidarity.

“ People in Northern Ireland have muscle memory of violence, murder and riots in our not-very-distant past. We also have muscle memory on how to organise and help each other ,” writes contributor Nicola Browne, in a letter from Belfast in this week’s newsletter. “Ordinary people from every background, community and colour are carrying out thousands of acts of care and repair, looking after people they do not know, and showing clearly that none of this is in their name.”

Also in this issue, privacy and technology experts are worried that Starmer’s proposed social media ban for under-16s could backfire . As one expert told openDemocracy’s tech reporter, Jade-Ruyu Yan, “I don’t think the government really knows where they’re going with a lot of this stuff.” That pretty much sums up the Starmer project.

Finally, there is still time to donate to support our continuing investigations into Big Tech accountability , after we revealed how Palantir is opening NHS health records up for surveillance. Next week, we will be publishing a major investigation into the harrowing world of those paid to filter abusive content on social media platforms.

Thank you, as always, for reading our newsletter. We are lucky to have you read us!

Aman Sethi, Editor-in-Chief

Inside the Palestine Action trial that could redefine protest as terrorism

Four activists may become first protesters in Britain to be sentenced as terrorists without being convicted of terror offences

openDemocracy Nandini Naira Archer

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Far-right chaos won’t define Northern Ireland – solidarity will

While extremists grabbed headlines, hundreds of ordinary people mobilised to protect our neighbours

openDemocracy Nicola Browne

Keir Starmer’s social media ban for under-16s could backfire, experts warn

Critics accuse embattled prime minister of rushing plans that will have consequences for surveillance and privacy

openDemocracy Jade-Ruyu Yan

Cuba’s revolution is dying. What comes next is unclear

Trump is threatening a military intervention, but there are no guarantees a democratic transition will take place

openDemocracy Rut Diamint

Palantir is turning the NHS into a tool…