In London, on a chilly Christmas Eve morning, four-year-old O was busy searching for the perfect crayon to help her new friend Greta Thunberg with her writing. What started as an ordinary scene quickly turned into a moment that would change their lives forever.
Greta had arrived in London earlier that day to support Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers who were on trial for allegedly committing terrorism. My daughter, oblivious to the complexities of the situation, had no idea what her guest was about until she saw Greta holding a crayon and creating a sign with O's help.
As it turned out, Greta's message on the sign read "I support Palestine Action prisoners," which apparently didn't sit well with the authorities. The next thing we knew, Greta got arrested while sitting quietly, doing nothing but holding her sign. My daughter was perplexed by this turn of events and struggled to understand why a person couldn't be free for expressing their opinions.
In this bizarre incident, it became clear that even something as innocuous as a crayon could land someone in trouble with the law. I tried to explain the situation to O, but she couldn't grasp the idea that using a crayon didn't justify getting arrested. It was like trying to convince her that being beautiful isn't important; what matters is kindness – a lesson she had already learned from me.
As Greta's arrest sparked outrage and concern about freedom of speech in the UK, I couldn't help but wonder how this had become possible under the leadership of a former human rights lawyer. The British government had taken an extraordinary step in labeling Palestine Action a terrorist organization, despite recognizing that most of their activities were not violent.
The consequences of such laws are dire, with activists being arrested and held on remand for peacefully holding up signs or participating in protests. Many of those now behind bars have been subjected to punitive conditions while fighting for justice against Elbit Systems, the Israel-based weapons manufacturer with several UK factories.
In this chilling example of government overreach, it's clear that Britain has become a place where freedom of speech and peaceful protest are under sustained attack. The authorities seem more concerned with locking up protesters than addressing the real issues at hand – like complicity in genocide.
As I reflect on Greta's experience, I'm reminded of her famous phrase: "How dare you!" This time around, it was the government that needed a rebuke for its actions. Sir Keir Starmer and his party have an obligation to stand up against such authoritarian measures and fight for justice, rather than ignoring warnings or allowing complicity in genocide.
Greta's courage in speaking out and her unwavering dedication to fighting injustice will always inspire us to do the same. Even a four-year-old like O can teach us valuable lessons about empathy, kindness, and standing up against what is wrong – even if it means using a crayon that gets us into trouble with the authorities.
Greta had arrived in London earlier that day to support Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers who were on trial for allegedly committing terrorism. My daughter, oblivious to the complexities of the situation, had no idea what her guest was about until she saw Greta holding a crayon and creating a sign with O's help.
As it turned out, Greta's message on the sign read "I support Palestine Action prisoners," which apparently didn't sit well with the authorities. The next thing we knew, Greta got arrested while sitting quietly, doing nothing but holding her sign. My daughter was perplexed by this turn of events and struggled to understand why a person couldn't be free for expressing their opinions.
In this bizarre incident, it became clear that even something as innocuous as a crayon could land someone in trouble with the law. I tried to explain the situation to O, but she couldn't grasp the idea that using a crayon didn't justify getting arrested. It was like trying to convince her that being beautiful isn't important; what matters is kindness – a lesson she had already learned from me.
As Greta's arrest sparked outrage and concern about freedom of speech in the UK, I couldn't help but wonder how this had become possible under the leadership of a former human rights lawyer. The British government had taken an extraordinary step in labeling Palestine Action a terrorist organization, despite recognizing that most of their activities were not violent.
The consequences of such laws are dire, with activists being arrested and held on remand for peacefully holding up signs or participating in protests. Many of those now behind bars have been subjected to punitive conditions while fighting for justice against Elbit Systems, the Israel-based weapons manufacturer with several UK factories.
In this chilling example of government overreach, it's clear that Britain has become a place where freedom of speech and peaceful protest are under sustained attack. The authorities seem more concerned with locking up protesters than addressing the real issues at hand – like complicity in genocide.
As I reflect on Greta's experience, I'm reminded of her famous phrase: "How dare you!" This time around, it was the government that needed a rebuke for its actions. Sir Keir Starmer and his party have an obligation to stand up against such authoritarian measures and fight for justice, rather than ignoring warnings or allowing complicity in genocide.
Greta's courage in speaking out and her unwavering dedication to fighting injustice will always inspire us to do the same. Even a four-year-old like O can teach us valuable lessons about empathy, kindness, and standing up against what is wrong – even if it means using a crayon that gets us into trouble with the authorities.
think its wild how something as simple as a crayon can land u in trouble with the law 
thats what scares me about this whole situation... authority seems to be overreacting & silencing people who just wanna express themselves peacefully 
its like, whats the point of having free speech if ur gonna get arrested 4 holding up a sign 
gotta wonder how many more ppl r affected by these laws before we take action 
It got me thinking about how creativity is an amazing way to express ourselves and bring people together. My niece did that same thing once where she made this awesome collage using recycled materials from her toy box... totally random but just shows us that we don't need fancy things to create something beautiful! 
I'm literally shook by this story... four years old O just wants to help her friend Greta out with some art and they end up getting arrested?! That's like, super unfair and it's making me so angry! 
What even is going on with our governments right now?! They're supposed to be protecting people's rights not suffocating them. I'm seriously worried about the future of this country... how can we let this kind of thing happen?! 
. It's crazy to think that holding a sign with a crayon can land you in trouble with the law 
It's like they're trying to stifle free speech and peaceful protests 
. And to label Palestine Action as a terrorist organization? Give me a break! 
. She's always been so passionate and determined, and now they're trying to silence her 
. It's not right.
. I'm proud of Greta for standing up for what she believes in, even when it's hard 
.
. Even a four-year-old can teach us about the importance of treating others with love and respect 
. Let's hope that Greta's courage will inspire more people to stand up for what's right 
!
The government needs to step up and stop this kind of overreach. It's not about being afraid of what others might think, it's about standing up for what's right, even if it means making a little noise with a crayon 
And you know what's wild? It's not even about the message on the sign. It's about how they're treating someone who's just trying to express themselves peacefully. 
I mean, shouldn't we be teaching our kids that freedom of speech is a fundamental human right? 
Not just for adults, but for all ages! 
especially four-year-olds like O who are already showing empathy and kindness towards others. 
It's like, what's next? Arresting people for playing with Legos that don't match? 
But seriously, it's crazy how quickly things can escalate when you're speaking out against injustice. And to think O was just trying to help Greta with her sign - it's almost like the authorities didn't care about free speech or human rights... it's a dark day for UK politics 
... i mean, who would've thought that holding up a sign with a crayon could get you arrested? 
it's like they're trying to silence people who are just trying to make their voices heard. 
. Anyway, I think O's lesson on kindness and empathy might just be the best one we can learn from this whole thing 
i mean whats next? getting arrested for playing outside without a permit? 
i just dont get it.
. It's wild to think that something so simple like a crayon and a sign could land someone in hot water 
.
.