Woman bailed after chanting ‘from the river to the sea’ in Manchester protest

Exclusive: Police accused of suppressing free speech as Musa Khawaja, who is of Palestinian heritage, banned from city centre

Police have been accused of suppressing legitimate protest after a woman was arrested for chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and given bail conditions banning her from Manchester city centre or from being in a group of more than three people.

Musa Khawaja, 26, from Lancashire, was arrested for the chant outside the offices of BNY Mellon in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, during a demonstration against the bank’s investment of more than £10m in the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.