No reports of Pembrokeshire detentions as international participants face violence and deportation

ACTIVISTS from Pembrokeshire taking part in the Global March to Gaza remain on course to reach the Rafah border crossing on Sunday (June 15), despite a sweeping crackdown by Egyptian authorities on demonstrators from across the world.

The Herald understands that no members of the West Wales delegation, including Jim Scott and Tasmin Nash, have been detained, and Scott remained active on social media as recently as Friday morning.

However, disturbing scenes have emerged from Cairo and beyond, where activists from countries including France, Spain, Turkey, Canada, and the UK have had their passports confiscated, been forcibly removed from checkpoints, and in some cases physically assaulted by men in plain clothes. Footage circulating online shows demonstrators being kicked and dragged away, while some tried to defend themselves by throwing water bottles.

According to organisers, at least 40 protesters had their passports seized and were held in the heat without being allowed to move. Others—around 15 activists—are being held in hotels under restriction.

Among those confirmed detained are:

• Paul Murphy, Irish MP
• Faruk Dincer, Turkish MP (reportedly injured during arrest)
• Hala Rharrit, former US diplomat who resigned in protest over Washington’s handling of the war

Murphy posted: “We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the #GreatMarchToGaza. We are refusing to board the deportation bus.”

The Global March to Gaza involves over 4,000 people from 80 countries, including a delegation of West Walians who set off from Al Arish on Friday morning for a 30-mile, three-day trek across the Sinai desert, aiming to reach Rafah on Sunday.

A separate 2,000-strong convoy travelling from Tunisia was also stopped by security forces in eastern Libya on Friday.

Despite the chaos, Jim Scott, a tree surgeon from Mathry, and CND Cymru delegate, has not reported any arrest or obstruction, telling supporters on Thursday night: “I’m OK. Safe for tonight. But an insane day. Completely insane.”

Tasmin Nash, an art curator and mother of four from Pembrokeshire, also remains unconfirmed among any detained. Speaking earlier this week, she said: “I cannot rest. I cannot stay silent. Now is the time to mobilise our passion and humanity. We are united for justice and solidarity for Palestine.”

The crackdown reflects Egypt’s tense balancing act. As the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel and a major recipient of US military aid, Egypt has attempted to publicly call for peace while suppressing grassroots pro-Palestinian actions within its borders.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that he expected Egypt to “halt demonstrators at the Egypt-Israel border”, adding that their arrival would “endanger the security of IDF soldiers” and would not be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Israel has allowed limited aid into Gaza since last month, but international aid groups and UN agencies warn that the volume is nowhere near sufficient to meet the needs of the population. The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic.

Organisers of the march have called on embassies to intervene to secure the release of detained protesters, stressing: “We are a peaceful movement, and we are complying with Egyptian law.”

The Herald will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as the West Wales delegation nears Rafah.

‘It’s stinking of fish one minute, and full glam the next’

A ZOOKEEPER from Pembrokeshire who spends her days feeding fish to penguins has been crowned Miss Earth Wales 2025.

Abigail Wood, aged 25, works at Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo where she helps care for a colony of 42 penguins, including endangered Humboldt and macaroni species.

The Swansea-born conservationist, who now lives in Pembrokeshire, said the contrast between her day job and evening glamour is something she has embraced.

“It’s very much stinking of fish one minute, and then I’m glammed up the next,” she said.

Miss Wood recently won the national beauty title at the Miss Earth Wales pageant held at the Memo Arts Centre in Barry. She will now go on to represent Wales at the international Miss Earth final later this year, an environmentally-focused global event.

Her background in conservation runs deep. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Biology from Swansea University and is the founder of the ‘Wild About Nature’ initiative, which encourages children to engage with the natural world. She has also written a nature-themed activity book for young readers and is planning to run summer workshops at Folly Farm.

Speaking to The Herald, she said: “When I was young, we used to spend weeks near Fishguard at my grandparents’ caravan. With no phone signal or screens, we were out in nature every day – flying kites, catching butterflies, exploring. That’s what started it all for me.”

Her job at Folly Farm involves feeding the penguins three times a day and caring for other bird species including flamingos and ducks.

“There’s very little cleaning, but a lot of feeding,” she said. “Working here has been a dream, and the team have been so supportive of everything I’ve done.”

Miss Wood said the Miss Earth competition appealed to her because it combined her love of nature with the opportunity to advocate for environmental education.

“When you compete in Miss Earth, you choose an advocacy. Mine is conservation education. I want to show that you can be passionate about the planet and still enjoy the glamour too. Glamour doesn’t have to come at the cost of your values.”

She added: “It’s about making the outdoors exciting again for young people—and showing that penguin poo and sequins really can go hand in hand.”

Friendship visit to local museum celebrates seven decades of service

MILFORD HAVEN’S Mayor, Councillor William Elliott, and his Consort, Mr Lloyd Jones, welcomed visitors to the town on Saturday (June 14) as part of a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the Milford Haven Soroptimists.

The event, held at the Milford Haven Museum, brought together Soroptimist International members from partner friendship clubs in St Austell and De Bevelanden in the Netherlands. The gathering forms part of a wider weekend of friendship activities, reflecting the Soroptimists’ long-standing commitment to international cooperation, women’s rights and community service.

The group was welcomed to the museum with a tour showcasing the town’s rich maritime and industrial heritage. Located in the town’s old dockside building, the museum features exhibitions on fishing, whaling, oil and gas, and the early settlement of Milford Haven, with historical links to Charles Francis Greville, the town’s founder.

Mayor Elliott said he was “delighted to meet the visiting guests and to see such strong international ties flourishing here in Milford.” He praised the Soroptimists’ continued dedication to both local and global causes, and said the museum visit was a fitting way to mark the group’s milestone anniversary.

The Milford Haven Soroptimists have been active in the community since 1954, supporting women’s empowerment projects and social justice campaigns. The anniversary celebrations continue across the weekend, with further visits, dinners, and cultural events planned to honour the group’s legacy.

Photo caption:

International celebration: Visitors from De Bevelanden and St Austell joined the Mayor and Milford Haven Soroptimists outside the town’s museum on Friday (Pic: Milford Haven Town Council/Facebook)