PSNI have made no arrests over 'Palestinian resistance' paraglider images displayed on Belfast buildings - news comes after three women are convicted of glorifying terrorism for displaying paragliding symbols at London Palestine march

The news comes in the wake of three women being convicted this week for displaying images of paragliders at a Palestine march in London, days after Hamas members used the contraptions to fly into Israel and kill random people.

The dissident republican group Lasair Dhearg has openly acknowledged being behind the images.

In a tweet from October 10, which remains up on its account (@LasairDhearg, 5,100 followers), it wrote: “Lasair Dhearg activists in Belfast, Occupied Ireland, last night projected images of support for the Palestinian people on Belfast City Hall."

“Ireland stands with Palestine and we send our solidarity to the Palestinian resistance. Two peoples – one struggle.”

The accompanying video shows the group using some kind of projector to shine messages and symbols on to the City Hall.

The accompanying video went on to state that “activists with Lasair Dhearg also projected video of armed Palestinian resistance fighters... Palestinians on paragliders parachuting into colonised territory”.

In another series of tweets, the group said it had been made aware of a complaint to the police to which it responded: "We can confirm that we did indeed project images onto Belfast City Hall of Palestinian resistance fighters liberating their homeland from an illegal occupation.

"The conflict in Palestine will only be resolved with the destruction of the Zionist state, and Irish Republicans take this opportunity to send the Palestinian resistance our best regards and our full support."

Asked what action had been taken over the images, the PSNI initially said today that it had “received no complaints”.

It then amended this statement to say a complaint had indeed been made, adding: "Enquiries were made and this has since been filed pending further evidence.

“No arrests have been made at this stage."

On Tuesday at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Heba Alhayek (29), Pauline Ankunda (26), and Noimutu Olayinka Taiwo (27) were convicted of "carrying or displaying an article, namely an image displaying a paraglider, in a public place in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that she is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas".

It has since emerged that Alhayek had been granted asylum in the UK, claiming that she was at risk from Hamas in Gaza.

Alhayek and Ankunda initially lied to police about the small paper images, claiming a stranger had secretly sellotaped them to their backs but later admitting this was untrue.

Then at trial, lawyers for the trio then suggested that flying-related images were a common symbol of peace in the Middle East.

The judge rejected this and they were convicted, but they walked free without being handed any punishment.

The trio were tried under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which – along with section 12 – outlaws symbols of support for banned groups.

The act applies to the whole UK, but was designed principally to clamp down on terror support in Northern Ireland, and can land people in jail for up to six months.

It says that it is an offence if someone "wears, carries or displays an article in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation".

It also applies to someone publishing any such image.

However this law is almost never enforced, with police doing nothing about the hundreds of murals, flags, and memorials which glorify proscribed groups like the UVF, UDA, INLA and IRA – plus the thousands of social media accounts that do the same.

The PSNI was also asked if they had done anything about an unnotified march in Londonderry on October 10 when protestors walked around the city chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – a chant often interpreted as a call to dissolve the state of Israel.

Police said this week they are seeking “to establish any offences that may have occurred and to identify those involved" (the event was filmed and uploaded to social media).

They were also asked if any action had been taken about the display on Londonderry’s city walls on October 21 of a banner likening Israel to the Nazis alongside the symbol of the SS.

"We are aware of this. No complaints have been made,” it said.