Activists unveiled Marwan Barghouti statue in Parliament Square Yesterday, activists unveiled a new statue of Marwan Barghouti in Parliament Square, but were then intercepted by police. Marwan Barghouti has been imprisoned by Israel for 24 years, 1 month and 19 days for crimes he did not commit. He was convicted by a court he did not recognise in a trial widely criticised by legal experts and human rights observers. A sitting Palestinian parliamentarian at the time of his arrest, he remains, more than two decades later, the most popular choice for Palestinian leadership in opinion polls. Often called ‘Palestine’s Mandela’, he is a powerful symbol of hope and a long-time advocate for freedom and dignity for the Palestinian people. Nelson Mandela was once politically isolated and labelled a terror*st before being recognised as a global symbol of freedom and justice. Marwan Barghouti faces a similar fate. The statue may not stand in Parliament Square yet, but we know this is a just cause. One day, Marwan will take his rightful place alongside other civil rights leaders. Free Marwan. Free Palestine. Video: @freemarwannow