: Trefnydd, I'd like to
request a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and
Social Justice outlining the discussions that have taken place
with South Wales
Police following the arrest last week of 19
pro-Palestine activists in less than 48 hours. An extensive list
of signatories have signed a statement with calls directed at
South Wales
Police, but also calling on the political establishment
to respect the right to protest. One of those arrested in Swansea
was a 12-year-old Palestinian child, and many others here in
Cardiff are students. The police approach is obviously directed
by the cruel UK legislation regarding protests, but I'd like to
know the Welsh Government's position on this, and how we ensure
that people are able to protest and show support when that is
very much needed.
(Trefnydd and Chief
Whip): Diolch yn fawr, , and you raise a really
important question. Obviously, as a Welsh Government, we have
stood up and spoken for and really embraced the right to protest.
The right to protest, of course, has been threatened and
undermined by UK Government legislation, which, indeed, we
resisted. And as you'll recall, when I was in the role of
Minister for Social Justice, we addressed those points and the
impact it would have on our democratic—. This is about our
democratic right to protest, but also, in relation to specific
incidents, and you've given an example today, I will ask the
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice to look into
these particular circumstances and situations. And perhaps just
to say that we recognise that, throughout not just Wales but
across the UK, there are these protests, there's peaceful coming
together of people, raising the issue of what is happening in the
middle east, and to recognise how important this is to the people
who are affected. Because, of course, it's community cohesion and
recognising that this is an area where we want to engage with the
communities, all the communities that are affected.
