Hundreds Arrested as Protesters Rally in Support of Banned palestine Action Group
London, UK – Approximately 300 people were arrested in London on Saturday during a exhibition supporting Palestine Action, a group proscribed under UK terrorism legislation. The protest took place near the Houses of Parliament,with demonstrators displaying signs expressing opposition to genocide and support for the banned organization.
The Metropolitan Police had issued a prior warning that anyone openly demonstrating support for Palestine Action would be subject to arrest. Despite this, several hundred individuals gathered to protest the ban, which was enacted following acts of vandalism attributed to the group, including damage to a Royal air Force base estimated at £7 million (€8 million).
Skirmishes erupted between police and protesters as officers made arrests, with some demonstrators attempting to obstruct the process. The Met reported that some arrests were related to alleged assaults on police officers.
Palestine Action was outlawed under the UK’s terrorism Act of 2000. Prior to Saturday’s demonstration, over 800 people had already been arrested in connection with the group, with 138 individuals formally charged with supporting or encouraging a proscribed organization. Penalties for conviction range from six months imprisonment for most offenses to up to 14 years for organizers.
The government is appealing a previous ruling that allowed Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action, to legally challenge the ban.The protest coincided with a separate, larger pro-Palestinian demonstration elsewhere in London, drawing several thousand participants as Israel launched new military strikes on Gaza, aiming to sieze Gaza City and defeat Hamas.
The ban has drawn criticism from international bodies, including the United Nations, and human rights organizations such as amnesty International and Greenpeace, who argue it represents legal overreach and a threat to freedom of speech. Demonstrators echoed these concerns, with one retiree stating, “The ban must be lifted,” and a CEO arguing the government should focus on “stopping genocide, rather than trying to stop protesters.”
