Hundreds of people have been arrested in London for protesting against the terror ban on the group Palestine Action.
Demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square in Westminster on Saturday to silently hold up signs, which read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
Within minutes of the protest starting at 1pm, rows of police officers filed into the square and started handcuffing protesters.
With limited space in police cells, many of the activists were not taken into custody but released after their arrest and allowed to go home, with bail conditions not to attend any further protests in support of Palestine Action. By 3.40pm, police had made 200 arrests “with more to follow”.
The Metropolitan Police brought in scores of officers from other forces to help with a busy weekend of protests. Around 15,000 people were estimated to have taken part in a separate Palestine solidarity march through London, to highlight the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
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Organisers of the action in Parliament Square claimed that between 600 and 700 people took part in the demonstration against the terror ban. However the police disputed this saying that around 500 to 600 people were in the square at 1pm, but many were “onlookers, media people or people not holding placards in support of Palestine Action”.
A spokesperson for the force said they were confident everyone holding a placard support Palestine Action “was either arrested or is in the process of being arrested”.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper decided to proscribe the group Palestine Action after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint.
Huda Ammori, the co-founder of the group, has been allowed to challenge the government’s decision to ban the organisation under anti-terrorism laws, with a court case due to be heard in November.
Campaigners from Defend Our Juries, who co-ordinated Saturday’s action, have pledged monthly protests against the ban until the High Court case is heard.
As a result of Palestine Action’s proscription, it is an offence to hold up a sign or wear a t-shirt in support of the group under section 13 of the Terrorism Act.
The first arrests were near the statues of feminist campaigner Millicent Fawcett and the Indian non-violent activist Mahatma Gandhi.
Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted “shame on you” at the police making the arrests.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights.
“It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues.”
Separately, thousands of people joined a pro-Palestine solidarity March in London to highlight the worsening crisis in Gaza.
Marchers chanted “Gaza must have food and water, no more killing, no more slaughter” and “free Palestine” as they made their way from Russel Square to Westminster.
