A total of 474 people were arrested during a pro-Palestine protest in London yesterday, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed. The majority of these were people showing support for Palestine Action, the action network deemed a terrorist organisation by the Government.
A large group of protesters gathered inside Westminster’s Parliament Square from 1pm, with some of the group holding signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. Several demonstrators carrying placards with “Palestine Action terrorises Britain while Hamas hides in hospitals, schools and mosques” briefly walked along the crowd before being led away.
Other clusters of protesters, many without signs, gathered around the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in the square to sing pro-Palestinian chants. Organiser Defend Our Juries said between 600 and 700 people were participating in the protest.
By 9pm, 466 of those involved were detained under the Terrorism Act for championing a banned group. Officers were seen lifting protesters – some sitting and some lying flat – off the ground before escorting them away to processing points in the Westminster area.
Those whose details could be confirmed were bailed, with conditions not to attend any further protest in support of Palestine Action, according to the Met. “Those whose details were refused, or could not be verified, were taken to custody suites across London,” the force added.
Bosses also disputed claims that 600 to 700 protestors attended, stating “That claim simply isn’t true.” They estimate the figure was closer to around 500 to 600 people in Parliament Square, though many were onlookers, media or people not holding placards in support of Palestine Action.
A further eight people were taken into custody for other offences, including five assaults on officers. The Home Secretary thanked the police for facilitating the ‘peaceful’ protest on Saturday, saying a “very small number of people…crossed the line into criminality”.
Yvette Cooper said: “Tens of thousands of people marched in London today to protest in support of Palestinian rights, working with the police to carry out their demonstration largely without incident. This will have been replicated in many other parts of the country too. We thank the police for their work in dealing with the very small number of people whose actions crossed the line into criminality.
“The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation. Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.
“It also follows an assessment from the Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre that the group prepares for terrorism, as well as concerning information referencing plans and ideas for further attacks, the details of which cannot yet be publicly reported due to ongoing legal proceedings.
“Many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear, this is not a non-violent organisation. UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority.”
The Met said it was the most arrests it’s made related to a single operation in at least the past decade. The force is yet to confirm how many people have been charged.
