POLICE have swooped on a Palestine Action protest and are arresting demonstrators after the group was labelled a terror organisation.
The Met Police said they have arrested 365 people at the Palestine Coalition march in London‘s Parliament Square today – warning there are “more to come”.
PAA woman is led away by police officers as supporters of Palestine Action take part in a mass action in Parliament Square, Westminster[/caption]
LNPProtesters are arrested by police officers in Parliament Square for holding placards in support of the banned Palestine Action group[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialSupporters of proscribed Palestine Action join a protest in Parliament Square, Westminster today[/caption]
Peter MacdiarmidMany sat on the grass holding homemade signs[/caption]
Clusters of officers could be seen holding people sat on the edge of the grass and escorting them through crowds to police vans.
Cops swooped in and “are making arrests”, having so far detained more than 150 in a mass crackdown.
Organisers Defend Our Juries said up to 700 people were at the event in Parliament Square, with police preparing for the “largest mass arrest in their history”.
Legislation to proscribe Palestine Action came into force on July 5 – making it a criminal offence to show support for the group – carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
And over 300 people have been arrested in a wave of Defend Our Juries demonstrations since it was banned.
Today’s protest comes only days after the first three people to be charged with supporting the group were publicly named as Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, also 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53.
The Met Police said tonight: “As of 6pm, 365 people had been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation.
“There have been seven arrests for other offences including five for assaults on officers. Fortunately none were seriously injured.”
The force said earlier that while “many of those remaining in the Square are media and onlookers, there are still people holding placards supporting Palestine Action”.
It added: “Officers are steadily working through the crowd making further arrests.”
A man, who appeared to be in his 50s, was arrested after he entered a large group of police holding a homemade sign reading “I support Palestine Action”.
He was marched away by a group of nine cops.
People waving Palestinian flags and signs reading “stop the genocide” continued to gather in the main square despite the risk of arrest.
Another pair of protesters holding handwritten pro-Palestine Action banners sat on the statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett.
They were later arrested and carried away by police officers. As they were carried away the crowd shouted “shame on you”.
Three retired doctors in scrubs lay and sat holding signs in support of the controversial group – police surrounded them and arrested a woman, carrying her away through the crowd.
Another was later carried away, with officers having to fight through an angry crowd.
The Parliament Square protest is organised by Defend Our Juries, where “participants are expected to intentionally break the law by holding up placards expressing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action”, cops said.
GettyPolice officers remove protesters during the pro Palestine “Lift The Ban” protest[/caption]
ReutersPolice officers detain a demonstrator during a rally organised by Defend Our Juries, challenging the government’s proscription of Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws, in Parliament Square[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialSupporters of proscribed Palestine Action join a protest in Parliament Square, Westminster today[/caption]
Previous such protests have seen more than 100 arrests made in total.
Bianca Jagger, former wife of Mick Jagger, human rights defender, said: “I’m here today because I am concerned the UK government is in violation of our fundamental freedom of speech.
“But I also hear today, of course, to denounce genocide that has been perpetrated by Israel and Gaza.”
She slammed the proscribing of Palestine Action as “outrageous”.
Meanwhile, the Russell Square demonstration is made up of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War and other groups.
One person was arrested “for a placard showing support for Palestine Action” in this protest, the force said.
Posting on X, the police said: “This is the scene in Parliament Square.
“Within this crowd a significant number of people are displaying placards expressing support for Palestine Action, which is a proscribed group.
“Officers have moved in and are making arrests.
“The Palestine Coalition march (a separate protest) has set off from Russell Square heading to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand.
“So far there has been one arrest at that event – for a placard showing support for Palestine Action.”
A Home Office spokesperson said in a previous statement: “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.”
AFPA number of arrests have been made as protests occur in London[/caption]
AFPA protester is carried away by police officers at a “Lift The Ban” demonstration[/caption]
EPASupporters of Palestine Action attend a mass protest organised by Defend Our Juries group as part of their campaign to end the proscription of Palestine Action[/caption]
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