In one of the largest police operations in over a decade, 474 people were arrested in central London during a mass protest against the UK’s ban on Palestine Action.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed 466 arrests for “showing support” for the proscribed group, plus eight others for offences including assaulting officers.
The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, saw hundreds holding signs opposing genocide and supporting Palestine Action.
Critics, including Amnesty International, slammed the arrests as “deeply concerning” and a threat to free speech, saying the demonstrators were peaceful.
The government defended the ban, calling Palestine Action a non-peaceful group, while announcing £8.5m in additional aid to Gaza.
The crackdown follows the June proscription of the group after activists vandalised RAF aircraft in protest over UK arms sales to Israel.
#LondonProtest #PalestineAction #MassArrests #TerrorismLaw #FreeSpeech #CivilLiberties #HumanRights #UKPolitics #MetPolice #Whitehall #ParliamentSquare #AmnestyInternational #ProtestRights #MiddleEast #Gaza #Israel #UKNews #PoliceCrackdown #Democracy #BreakingNews
