British police arrest dozens in London rally against Palestine Action ban

The British police have detained dozens of protesters for supporting the pro-Palestinian campaign group, Palestine Action, a week after the UK government officially designated the activist group a “terrorist organization.”

The Metropolitan Police said in a post on X on Saturday that its forces have arrested 41 people for expressing support for “a proscribed organization,” adding that another person was taken into custody on charges of common assault.

They later said in a mid-afternoon update that the area was cleared.

Earlier in the day, the Met said a statement on X that “We are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action,” adding that “Officers are in the process of making arrests.”

This came after a group of protesters gathered at the steps of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, defying a warning from the Metropolitan Police, who stated that they would take action against anyone showing support for the banned group ahead of the planned protests.

Protesters in London defy ban to rally in support of Palestine Action

Protesters gathered in London after the UK designated Palestine Action a terrorist group, risking arrest for showing support.

Video footage depicted the police approaching the demonstrators and escorting some of them from the scene. Several of the protesters were seen holding placards bearing messages such as 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.'

Defend Our Juries, which had organized the London protest, criticized the police’s response, noting that over 300 police officers had been seen to carry away dozens of people for alleged “terrorism offences.”

A spokesman for the campaign group also told AFP that today, the Metropolitan Police were out in force again in Parliament Square, where they arrested over 40 individuals for displaying signs opposing genocide and showing support for Palestine Action.

The spokesperson further questioned the police's allegiance, expressing concern about whom they are serving and referring to the ban as 'Orwellian.'

The latest development comes a week after 29 people were arrested at a similar protest in London, including an 83-year-old retired priest who expressed support for the pro-Palestinian campaign group and opposed the Israeli genocidal campaign in Gaza.

The British government officially classified Palestine Action as a “terrorist organization” from midnight on July 5.

The group has focused much of its campaign on Elbit Systems UK, which it accuses of manufacturing and supplying weapons to the Israeli military amid the regime’s genocidal war on Gaza. It says direct action is necessary to “end British facilitation of those crimes” being committed by the regime in Gaza.

Under the new legislation, membership in or public support for the group is now a criminal offense in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Amnesty Intl. slams UK for abusing laws to silence pro-Palestine protests

Amnesty International says the UK seems more bent on abusing "terrorism laws" to crack down on pro-Palestine protests.

Palestine Action previously said that while the UK government “is rushing through Parliament absurd legislation to proscribe Palestine Action, the real terrorism is being committed in Gaza.”

Rights groups say the British government is misusing anti-terrorism laws to silence protesters, who are speaking out for Palestinian rights.

Since the start of Israel’s devastating war on Gaza in October 2023, the UK has seen some of the largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations in its history, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets demanding an end to British arms exports to Tel Aviv.

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