'Entirely Disproportionate': Police Slammed For Mass Arrests At Palestine Action Protest
Human rights organisations have criticised the police after almost 500 people were arrested during Saturday’s Palestine Action protest.
Thousands of officers were waiting in Westminster to arrest anyone who showed support for the pro-Gaza group which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation since July 5.
Protesters silently held up a sign which read, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”.
Although the protest was largely peaceful, showing support for a proscribed group is an offence carrying a punishment of up to 14 years in prison.
The Metropolitan Police said 466 people were detained under the Terrorism Act for showing support for Palestine Action on Saturday.
A further eight people were arrested for other offences, including assaulting officers.
According to the Met, it was the most arrests the force has made related to a single operation in at least the last decade.
Someone was also arrested at a separate London march, organised by Palestine Coalition, after holding a placard expressing their support for Palestine Action.
Amnesty International swiftly condemned the “entirely disproportionate” police action.
In a statement, the chief executive of the human rights organisation Sacha Deshmukh said: “Today’s mass arrests of peaceful protesters under UK terrorism law are deeply concerning.
“Peaceful protest is a fundamental right. People are understandably outraged by the ongoing genocide being committed in Gaza and are entitled under international human rights law to express their horror.
“The protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of absurdity to be treating them as terrorists.
“Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it.”
According to organisers Defend Our Juries, up to 700 people attended the event in Parliament Square.
They claimed police were preparing for the “largest mass arrest in their history”.
A spokesperson said on Saturday: “Palestine Action and people holding cardboard signs present no danger to the public at large.”
Officers said anyone arrested was taken to processing points in Westminster, and released on bail if they could confirm their details – and promise not to attend further Palestine Action support events.
If their details could not be given, they were taken to custody suites.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper has defended the police action, saying: “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.”