There were emotional scenes outside Jersey’s Royal Court this morning after a pro-Palestine activist was cleared of two charges of inviting support for a proscribed terrorist organisation following a landmark trial.
Natalie Strecker, who has been involved with the Jersey Palestine Solidarity Campaign for many years and describes herself as a human rights campaigner, was accused of two offences related to inviting support for a proscribed organisation under Jersey’s terrorism laws.
Speaking moments after the verdict was delivered, a tearful Ms Strecker said that she was leaving court “with my head held high” after what she described as a “traumatic and dehumanising” experience.
After thanking all of the Islanders who had supported her throughout her trial, which was the first of its kind in Jersey, she said she remains “committed to the struggle for a kind of fairer world in which a right to freedom, justice, equality and a life of dignity are guaranteed for all in our human family”.
“Resistance” in question
The charges against Ms Strecker related to social media posts and videos published between June and October 2024 in which the 50-year-old made repeated references to “the resistance”.
The meaning behind this term – and whether Ms Stecker used it to describe Hamas or Hezbollah – formed the central focus of the final day of the Jurat trial yesterday.
Crown Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, told the Royal Court that Ms Strecker’s own language showed she intended to encourage support for proscribed organisations. He pointed to posts urging followers to “support the resistance”, “long live the resistance” and “solidarity with the resistance”.
He said that although she avoided naming either group, she “understood who they are” and described Hamas as “the resistance” in a different post.
“She knew it was a criminal offence to invite support for these organisations,” he said. “She tried to use the language of resistance to avoid using the names, but her invitations of support were clear,” he said.
“Cherry-picking” accusation
But Summing up for the defence, Advocate Mark Boothman said the prosecution had reviewed thousands of posts, but selected eight “cherry-picked” examples.
He said her posts did not invite support for terrorist groups but expressed her personal belief that Palestinians had the right to resist occupation under international law – adding that Ms Strecker had made clear in February 2024 that she did not support Hamas by posting about it online.
“Why would she invite support for an organisation that she does not support?” he asked.
Remarks were “unwise” and “extreme”… but not “literal”
After a four-day Jurat trial in the Royal Court, Ms Strecker was found not guilty this morning.
Explaining their verdict, the Royal Court said that Ms Strecker was someone of “good character” who had been “particularly moved by the suffering of those who live and have died in Gaza”, having previously been to Palestine and witnessed the “suffering of both adults and children”.
They added that this “compassion and frustration at the continuing violence has led her to make unwise statements on social media, which are capable in the Court’s view of being construed as inviting support for Hamas and Hezbollah”.
However, they said that “of itself is not enough to make her guilty of these offences”.
They said they were satisfied she had said “extreme things” which were not meant “in a literal sense”. Those sentencing remarks can be read in full here.
“It was my character put on trial”
Ms Strecker exited the Royal Court to applause from numerous supporters.
After thanking her legal team, family, friends and others who had followed her case, Ms Strecker said: “This has personally been an incredibly traumatic and dehumanising time, compounded by old wounds triggered by the manner in which I was arrested.
“I am a care survivor, a survivor of abuse because of the failings of our governments and institutions as a child, I walk out of court today with my head held high and in the knowledge that it was my character put on trial, and that I won.
“However, the Palestinian people, the most dehumanised community on our planet, continue to be subjected to genocide, apartheid and the most brutal ethnic cleansing. It is a stain on our collective conscience, and I implore islanders to keep doing all they can to bring it to an end, alongside working to all end all other genocides taking place, such as those in the Sudan and the Congo.
“As for myself, I remain committed to the struggle for a kind of fairer world in which a right to freedom, justice, equality and a life of dignity are guaranteed for all in our human family. Thank you. And free Palestine.”
“We remain committed to investigating all reported crimes thoroughly”
Following the verdict, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Beechey said that the States of Jersey Police “acknowledge the outcome of the recent court proceedings”.
“This case, the first of its kind in Jersey, involved an allegation of inviting support for proscribed organisations, under Article 13(1) of the Terrorism (Jersey) Law 2002,” he continued.
“The matter was brought before the courts following a complaint from a member of the public.
“We remain committed to investigating all reported crimes thoroughly and impartially.
“We would also like to recognise the joint efforts of the States of Jersey Police and the Law Officers’ Department throughout this process.”
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