by Katie Alston

A Canterbury student held under house arrest by armed police has spoken of her ordeal.

Charlotte Dunne, 23, a third year social policy student at the University of Kent at Canterbury, travelled to Egypt to join the Gaza Freedom March on December 23.

Alongside more than 1,400 campaigners from 43 countries, London-born Charlotte wanted to protest against ill treatment of Palestinians, but things didn’t go as planned.

She said: “Within 24 hours of being in Cairo, organisers told us things were looking bleak for us reaching the Rafah border and permission to travel to the Gaza Strip was being refused.

“We were warned, if we met in groups larger than six, we would be arrested or deported. From then on police were everywhere.

“We held a secret meeting and decided to make our way to the border in any way possible.”

Listen: Charlotte Dunne talks about her ordeal in Egypt.

Charlotte joined a group heading to Al Arish, 40 miles away from Rafah, but when they arrived, armed police surrounded their hotel, detaining them for 24 hours.

“They knew our every movement and we believe our phones were bugged," added Charlotte.

“When we managed to protest in town, I was hit in the face, they manhandled me and smashed my camera.

“It was then I thought it was time to step back. I was getting a little too used to the situation.”

On January 5, after 85 internationals were allowed to carry out a peaceful march through the Rafah border, Charlotte was allowed to travel to Cairo under police escort.

She then flew back to England.

Charlotte added: “I want to go back and continue campaigning to get the Palestinian and Israeli experiences out into public.

“I can’t turn my back on the issue.”

Read the full story in this week's Kentish Gazette, out Thursday.