Bank Freezes Peaceful Protest Group, Citing Unrelated Terrorism Investigation

KEY POINTS

•Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine had their Virgin Money account frozen indefinitely after the Palestine Action group was banned in 2025.
•Despite no affiliations to the banned direct action group, GMFP found its access to funds cut off under investigation link claims.
•The deputy mayor informed GMFP of the freezing, highlighting a chaotic overlap between peaceful activism and anti-terror banking measures.

In a plot twist better scripted by a frustrated bureaucrat than a thriller writer, Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine (GMFP) woke up one day to find Virgin Money had frozen their bank account indefinitely. The crime? Being mistaken for the infamous direct action extremists known as Palestine Action, who were officially banned under the Terrorism Act earlier in 2025. Despite GMFP’s peaceful protest antics and zero ties to said militant group, the deputy mayor had to break the unfortunate news of this financial cold shoulder, leaving the grassroots org wondering if their vigils are just too hush-hush for modern banking protocols.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

When banks start freezing peaceful protest funds because someone's name sounds a bit too fiery, you know bureaucracy's winning. Next up: freezing grandma's garden club for suspicion of aggressive flower arranging.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Congrats to Virgin Money for mastering the revolutionary art of punishing innocent confusion. Next on the list: cake shops under suspicion for radical icing.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Nothing says 'smooth operations' like blocking funds of a peaceful group because another one got their hands dirty. Banking or blacklisting? Potato, potato.

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