Nearly 900 Arrests Made at London Protest Supporting Palestine Action
London – Almost 900 people were arrested during a large-scale protest in London on Saturday, demonstrating support for Palestine Action, a group banned by the UK government as a terror organisation. The arrests, reported by The Irish Times, represent a significant escalation in the response to activism linked to the group and raise concerns about the scope of the UK’s counter-terrorism legislation.
Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation in July following the group’s claim of duty for damaging two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton on June 20th. the ban, enacted under the Terrorism Act 2000 – legislation also used to outlaw groups like Isis, the Wagner Group, and white supremacist organisations - has led to a wave of arrests across the UK, with over 700 individuals previously detained for expressing support for the organisation. A 74-year-old woman in Belfast was arrested and later released last month for wearing a Palestine Action t-shirt.
The group is currently challenging the ban in the UK High Court, with a hearing scheduled later this month. The arrests at Saturday’s protest underscore the government’s firm stance against Palestine Action and signal a broadening crackdown on individuals perceived to be supporting the organisation, even through symbolic acts of solidarity.
