About 900 people were arrested at a pro-Palestine protest held last Saturday in central London, British police reported on Sunday (7 September). Authorities had previously urged the public to avoid participating in the demonstration, which supported the banned group Palestine Action.
In July, members of Palestine Action reportedly entered a Royal Air Force base and damaged military aircraft. Following the incident, the British government banned the group under anti-terrorism laws. Since the ban, hundreds of supporters have been arrested during protests, many of whom are over 60 years old.
London police confirmed that 890 people were detained near Parliament during Saturday’s protest, marking the largest single-day arrest operation of its kind in the city’s recent history. Among those arrested, 857 were detained for supporting a banned organization, while 17 were arrested for allegedly attacking officers amid violent clashes.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said, “The violence we faced during the operation was a coordinated and planned attack aimed at causing maximum disorder.”
Protest organizers, including a group called Defend Our Jurisdiction, stated that those arrested included priests, war veterans, and healthcare workers, with many elderly and physically disabled individuals among them. A spokesperson added that public demonstrations would continue until the ban is lifted.
Palestine Action is classified alongside banned organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Supporting or joining the group is a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Human rights groups have criticized the ban, calling it disproportionate and warning that it restricts the freedom of peaceful protesters to express their views.
