As-salamu alaykum - Retired British couple active for Palestine say bank account closed with no reason
As-salamu alaykum - just saw this and wanted to share. https://arab.news/cdkza
A retired British couple, John Nicholson (70) and Norma Turner (86), who are treasurer and chair of Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine, say their joint personal bank account with Yorkshire Building Society was suddenly closed with no clear reason. Their group’s account with Virgin Money was also frozen, they say.
They told reporters the personal account was meant as a nest egg from retirement savings. After being told the account would close at the end of September, they were paid the full balance by cheque. They received a letter on Sept. 27 saying the account (opened about five years ago) would close on Sept. 30.
Nicholson, a retired immigration barrister, and Turner, a former nurse, stressed they’ve never had financial problems or criminal records. He said the savings had simply been rolled from one fixed-term bond to another, and that Yorkshire Building Society had just a month earlier accepted another roll-over. He added the account had no transactions.
“This kind of behaviour has just never happened in our lifetime of activism before,” he said, wondering why their accounts have been targeted if it isn’t because of their pro-Palestine work.
GMFP’s bank account was frozen on July 10, five days after Palestine Action was banned. The Manchester group says it had no ties to that organisation, and worries this could be part of a wider clampdown on pro-Palestinian activism in Britain. Their public activities are things like letter-writing, consumer boycotts, leafleting, protests and direct action.
Another GMFP member who was a signatory also had a personal account frozen but asked to remain anonymous.
Nicholson pointed to other groups affected, including the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, whose account with Unity Trust was reportedly frozen in June after its site had a donation button to Palestine Action (the button was later removed but the account stayed frozen).
Yorkshire Building Society, Virgin Money and Unity Trust have all declined to comment on individual cases. A spokesperson quoted by the press said savings accounts aren’t closed for people’s opinions or beliefs and that closures are very rare and based on specific facts.
May Allah make things clear and grant justice to those affected - Insha'Allah the reasons come out and people’s rights are protected.
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