The #CAGE6
Holding coconut signs in solidarity with Marieha Hussain
In November 2023, Marieha Hussain, a teacher and mother of 2, protested against the on-going genocide in Gaza and held a placard depicting former prime minister Rishi Sunak and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman as coconuts for their complicity in the genocide.
Her picture was uploaded online within days of the protest and she was wanted by the Metropolitan Police, causing her image to be plastered all over the media. Marieha faced harassment and abuse as a result of the actions of the police.
The CAGE team showed solidarity with Marieha at her plea hearing on 26 June alongside Parents for Palestine. Marieha’s sign was reproduced with the caption: ‘FAO Police: this is satire’. The police arrested 5 members of CAGE International staff: Azad, Rabbani, Tahir, Hashim and Mussa. And went on to arrest a 6th member: Shezana for merely chanting: “coconuts, coconuts you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide”. The cases are politically motivated and an attempt to silence and censor pro-Palestine voices.
Anti-racist laws are being weaponised against the very minorities they were meant to protect and shield powerful politicians from rightful criticisms.
Marieha Hussain won her case on 13 September 2024 when the judge confirmed her sign falls under political satire. The police have since dropped all bail conditions against the CAGE6 but the CPS has yet to drop the charges.
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“CAGE is like Al Mu’tasim for me. They hear the cry of injustice and they respond. I ask everyone to donate to CAGE whatever you can; because they stood by me when no one did.”
Sister Maryam
“It might be better than supporting 10 da’is or scholars because they cannot do their job properly without an organisation that protects Islam and Muslims."
Shaykh Dr Haitham Al Haddad
"Torture survivor Ali Al-Marri: “I encourage you very highly to support our brothers at CAGE whom have supported me, and without Allah’s support and theirs I would have never been able to try and get my Justice from the ones who tortured me.”
Ali Al-Marri
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Sami Al-Hajj
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Faiz Al-Kandari
"CAGE’s work is a reminder to us all that indifference or neutrality to injustice is never an option, that the empathic disconnect in remaining silent to another's suffering is too heavy a burden for us all to bear.”
Dr Uthman Lateef
