London sees biggest protest arrests in a decade over Gaza and Palestine Action ban
The Metropolitan Police arrested 474 people during London’s largest protest supporting banned group Palestine Action. Most were detained under terrorism laws, sparking criticism from rights groups who called the crackdown disproportionate. The ban carries penalties of up to 14 years’ imprisonment.
London: The Metropolitan Police said it made 474 arrests during the UK’s largest protest in support of Palestine Action, which was recently banned by the government, making it a criminal offence to show any backing for the group.
While 466 of those arrested during a demonstration in London on Saturday were detained under the UK’s Terrorism Act for showing support for a proscribed group, eight others were held for other offences, including assaulting police officers.
Many of those arrested were displaying placards expressing support for Palestine Action. The Met Police, the country’s largest police force, said it marked the most arrests made in a single operation in a decade.
“Our role in the context of protest remains as it always has been – to police without fear or favour, to enforce the law, to keep the peace by ensuring groups with opposing views do not come together and to prevent serious disorder and serious disruption to ordinary people going about their lives,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who led the policing operation.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed her gratitude to the police for working over a busy weekend of demonstrations by those protesting Israel’s actions in the conflict in Gaza.
“Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage,” said Cooper.
Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, said the protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence, and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of “absurdity” to be treating them as terrorists.
“Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it,” he said.
Those arrested were taken to processing points at Westminster in central London, and those whose details could be confirmed were released on bail on condition that they must not attend further Palestine Action support events.
Others whose details could not be verified, many refusing to give them to the police, were taken to custody suites across London. Legislation to ban Palestine Action came into force on July 5, carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years for showing support for the group.
“Palestine Action and people holding cardboard signs present no danger to the public at large,” said a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries, one of the organisers of the protests.
