London Protests: Over 500 Arrested in Major Palestine Action Demonstration
London Protests: Over 500 Arrested in Major Palestine Action Demonstration
More than 500 individuals have been arrested following a significant demonstration in London over the weekend, held in support of the recently proscribed group, Palestine Action. The Metropolitan Police confirmed a total of 532 arrests, primarily (521) for displaying placards backing Palestine Action at Westminster’s Parliament Square.
The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, saw hundreds simultaneously unveil “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action” placards as Big Ben chimed at 13:00 BST on Saturday. This surge in arrests marks the largest single-day detention total for the Met Police in the past decade.
Beyond placard offences, six arrests were made for assaulting police officers, two for breaching Public Order Act conditions, one for obstructing a constable, and one for a racially aggravated public order offence. The average age of those arrested was 54, with the largest group (147) being between 60 and 69 years old.
Police officers systematically moved through the crowds, carrying away protesters who refused to comply, amidst chants of “shame on you” directed at the officers. While many were released on bail with conditions not to attend future Palestine Action-related demonstrations, 212 individuals who refused to provide details or were already on bail were taken into custody. As of Sunday afternoon, 18 remained in custody but were expected to be released later that day.
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command has initiated work to compile case files for charges against those accused of supporting Palestine Action, a group proscribed under the Terrorism Act in July, making support for it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
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