Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The Metropolitan Police have announced that over 200 individuals have been taken into custody during a protest held in central London against the ban on Palestine Action. The arrests occurred as participants were found to be expressing support for the group, which has been declared a proscribed organization under anti-terror laws.
The protest, which saw hundreds gather in Trafalgar Square, featured demonstrators carrying signs with messages such as “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” slogans that have appeared at previous events tied to the group. This particular demonstration, called Everyone Day, was organized by Defend Our Juries to highlight ongoing resistance to the ban imposed on Palestine Action.
Despite the ban being ruled unlawful by the High Court earlier this year, the government has maintained it pending an appeal. Initially, the Metropolitan Police signaled a more restrained approach to arrests after the court’s judgment, but they reversed this decision in March, announcing they would resume detaining those supporting the group. Prior to the demonstration, police gave warnings about the legal risks involved, emphasizing that showing support for a proscribed organization constitutes a criminal offense under the Terrorism Act. Commander Claire Smart, in charge of policing operations for the weekend, stated, “Those attending should be aware that showing support for a proscribed organisation is an offence under the Terrorism Act, and we will not hesitate to act where the law is broken.”
Among those arrested was Robert Del Naja, a founding member of the band Massive Attack. He had expressed his intent to attend partly to protest the police’s decision to resume arrests, describing it as “ridiculous.” Del Naja voiced confidence that any arrest could be contested in court, calling potential detention an “unlawful arrest.” He further defended Palestine Action’s activities as patriotic, asserting that their actions helped protect the country from involvement in war crimes, stating, “How much more patriotic can you be than that?” Other protesters, like Linda Walker, expressed strong motivations rooted in their belief that genocide has been occurring over the past two and a half years, criticizing the government for targeting those opposing it. The Israeli government has consistently rejected genocide accusations, declaring its actions in Gaza as justified self-defense.
At the time of reporting, police had made 212 arrests and continued to detain individuals supporting the banned group. Since the prohibition took effect last summer under the Terrorism Act 2000, more than 2,200 arrests have been recorded for allegedly endorsing Palestine Action. Meanwhile, trials involving hundreds accused of displaying related placards have been paused due to ongoing legal proceedings over the legitimacy of the ban
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.