The trial of a pro-Palestine activist facing two charges of inviting support for a proscribed terrorist organisation started in Jersey’s Royal Court this morning.
Natalie Strecker, who has been involved with the Jersey Palestine Solidarity Campaign and describes herself as a human rights campaigner, is accused of two offences related to inviting support for a proscribed organisation.
The 50-year-old denies both charges, which relate to social media posts in which she allegedly invited support for Hamas and Hezbollah. One charge relates to posts about Hamas, and one charge relates to posts about Hezbollah.
The posts were published between 20 June and 11 October 2024.
Crown Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, said the case was not about political issues in Palestine, nor about “attempting to attack free speech”.
He said he would have to prove three things: that Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed, that Ms Strecker invited support for them, and knew she was inviting support for proscribed organisations.
Crown Advocate Sette said the Jurats should look at the social media posts, as well as their “cumulative effect”.
He is using social media posts and Whatsapp messages, starting in June 2021, to make his case.
The Crown Advocate told the court that, in a post on X on 21 June 2024, Ms Strecker wrote: “I believe Hezbollah is our last hope.”
And in a Whatsapp message in the same month, she said: “I just don’t know whether pacifism has a chance against such evil. I hate what the system is doing to us all. Do you think Hezbollah will be able to defeat Israel?”
Ms Strecker described herself as “an aspiring pacifist” in her messages.
But Crown Advocate Sette said the communications “showed that over time, Ms Strecker’s approach to Hamas and Hezbollah changed”, moving from criticising some of the groups’ conduct to supporting them.
Ms Strecker is defended by Advocate Mark Boothman.
Commissioner Sir John Saunders is presiding over the trial, with Jurats Jane Ronge and Karen Le Cornu sitting.