On September 10, 2025, the usually festive streets of Gibraltar’s Irish Town took a dramatic turn when Anthony Farrell, a 65-year-old British resident, was arrested for carrying a placard that praised Hamas and wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with political messages. The arrest, which occurred on Gibraltar’s National Day—a day typically marked by unity and celebration—has since sparked debate about free speech, the boundaries of protest, and the legacy of recent political changes on the Rock.
According to The Olive Press, Farrell, a figure well known in Gibraltar’s activist circles, was detained after plainclothes officers spotted him near the Roxy Cafe. Farrell’s attire was hard to miss: his red t-shirt featured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the front, while the back was adorned with Palestinian flag colors and the slogan, “Fake-Israel is a terrorist state.” But it was his sandwich board placard that drew the most scrutiny. The placard included a lengthy text describing Hamas as “freedom fighters representing the Palestinian people” and contained a series of antisemitic conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks, the Madrid train bombings, and the London 7/7 attacks.
Police, citing Gibraltar’s strict anti-terrorism laws, moved to arrest Farrell as he walked toward Casemates Square. He now faces charges under Section 11 of the Terrorism Act for “using items/clothes for a proscribed organisation”—a serious offense that could result in jail time. Under both UK and Gibraltar law, Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization, and it is a criminal offense to display items supporting such groups, including clothing and placards.
Farrell, who describes himself as a former “principal intelligence analyst” and an outspoken anti-vaccine campaigner, has not shied away from controversy in the past. Known among Gibraltar’s authorities as a troublemaker, he has often found himself at odds with officialdom. After his court appearance, Farrell told The Olive Press, “I think the charge is ludicrous. I can’t see how they’re going to make it stick… I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t get thrown out.”
Despite the placard’s direct reference to Hamas, Farrell insisted he does not support the group. “No, I’m not a Hamas supporter,” he said. “I can’t ever recall mentioning Hamas in any of my writings. I believe genocide is happening in Gaza – but does that make me a supporter of Hamas? No.” He acknowledged that the pro-Hamas line was present on his board but argued it should be read within the context of numerous other points. “They picked up on that because Hamas is proscribed, but it was one item among many,” he explained.
Farrell also distanced himself from the authorship of the placard’s text, stating, “I did not write that letter. But I take responsibility for taking the board out. Happy to stand or fall by it. I can’t stand the hypocrisy.”
He suggested his arrest was about more than the placard, hinting at a broader pattern of targeting dissenters. “It’s possible they saw me and thought, here’s the pretext to arrest him. They know me well,” Farrell said. He went further, accusing police of trying to create a “perfect storm” around him: “They may have done it for a different reason. They may have done it because they’re trying to create a perfect storm and see me as someone able to sustain that storm in a court process. Or maybe they just want to shut me up. I can’t tell which.”
Despite his criticisms, Farrell acknowledged that he was treated politely during his detention, even being allowed some fresh air while “in the cage.”
This terrorism charge is just the latest in a string of legal challenges for Farrell. In October, he faces two additional trials: one on October 14 for contempt of Parliament, and another on October 16 related to the Gibraltar Health Authority. He has also made previous attempts to file misconduct complaints against a Gibraltar magistrate, accusing him of bias and “misprision of treason”—an old common law offense involving the failure to report treason to authorities. While the Supreme Court has not upheld these claims, Farrell continues to push for jury trials in his cases.
Farrell revealed that he had prepared a “full bundle” of documents alleging misconduct by senior officials, purposefully timed for delivery on September 11—the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which he has previously suggested were “false flag” operations. He is due to return to magistrates on October 9 for a disclosure hearing related to the terrorism charge.
Amid the controversy surrounding Farrell’s arrest, Gibraltar itself stands on the brink of historic change. Just days after the incident, on September 13, 2025, news broke that the territory’s future relationship with the European Union was about to be reshaped by a landmark treaty. As reported by Politico, nine years after the UK voted to leave the EU—a decision Gibraltar’s residents overwhelmingly opposed—the Rock is set to “scrap most barriers to travel and trade” that were erected in the aftermath of Brexit. The treaty, announced in June 2025, is expected to come into effect in the coming months, restoring Gibraltar’s close ties with Europe after years of uncertainty and negotiation.
One of the most symbolic changes will be the termination of “The Fence of Gibraltar,” a physical and political barrier that has long separated the territory from its Spanish neighbors. According to Europa Sur, the fence’s removal depends on the formalization of the agreement reached on June 11, 2025, which will be put in writing as part of the new treaty. All parties estimate that the treaty will be ratified by the end of 2025, finally providing a clear framework for Gibraltar’s future within the European context.
This momentous development comes after nearly a decade of limbo for Gibraltar, which found itself caught between British sovereignty and its deep economic and cultural ties to the EU. As the Rock prepares to re-embrace Europe, the contrast between the optimism surrounding the new treaty and the divisive debates playing out in its streets—exemplified by Farrell’s arrest—could not be starker.
Gibraltar now faces a crossroads: on one hand, it is poised to regain many of the freedoms and opportunities lost after Brexit; on the other, it must navigate ongoing tensions over free speech, protest, and public order. As Farrell’s case moves through the courts, and as the treaty edges closer to ratification, the territory’s residents find themselves wrestling with questions about identity, belonging, and the true meaning of freedom—both personal and political.
With the world’s eyes on Gibraltar, the coming months promise to be pivotal. Whether the Rock can reconcile its past with its rapidly changing future remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Gibraltar is once again at the heart of some of Europe’s most consequential debates.