golders green - free Palestine graffiti position
Received: 31 March 2025
Subject: FOI Request - Discriminatory Treatment of Political Messaging by Barnet Council. railway bridge outside golders green station. Dear Barnet Council FOI Officer,I am submitting this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the Council's actions related to political graffiti and public displays in Golders Green and the wider Borough of Barnet.It has come to my attention that Barnet Council requested the removal of "Free Palestine" graffiti from Transport for London property, yet allowed (and reportedly instructed to retain) displays such as Israeli flags and graffiti including the phrase 'F*** Hamas.' This disparity raises serious questions about political bias, freedom of expression, and the selective enforcement of public order.Please provide the following:1. A copy of all correspondence between Barnet Council and Transport for London (TfL) relating to the removal of "Free Palestine" graffiti and any related public messaging or markings. This includes emails, letters, and internal meeting minutes.2. Any direct requests from the Council to TfL or other agencies instructing them to retain, tolerate, or ignore political statements such as Israeli flags or graffiti including "F*** Hamas."3. All records of criteria or internal guidance used by Barnet Council to determine whether specific public markings or symbols should be removed, especially where they relate to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.4. A list of all graffiti or public messages removed or left in place over the past six months in Barnet, including:The message/symbol removed or retained,Its political or national affiliation (if any),Who authorised the action,The rationale provided.5. Any complaints or lobbying efforts by external individuals, groups, or organisations (including pro-Israel groups, MPs, or community representatives) which led to the removal of the "Free Palestine" message. Please include names or affiliations where legally permissible.6. Whether Barnet Council considered the implications of removing a humanitarian message such as 'Free Palestine' while leaving overtly aggressive or partisan slogans untouched.This request is being made in light of growing concern that the Council is selectively policing political speech in public spaces in a manner that silences pro-Palestinian sentiment while allowing aggressive pro-Israel messaging. Such conduct, if true, would suggest a disturbing use of Council powers to favour one side in an international conflict, with implications for free expression, public trust, and community cohesion.I expect a full response within 20 working days, as required by law. Redactions without lawful justification will be challenged via the Information Commissioner's Office if necessary.
Outcome / Documents
- Response (all information to be supplied) - application/pdf - Download