Palestine Action activists confronted Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband while he was eating at a Pizza Express restaurant on the fringes of Labour's conference in Liverpool. The activists urged him to "de-proscribe" the group and to "declare genocide in Gaza."
Confrontation at the restaurant
Mr Miliband appeared to be having a meal with colleagues when he was approached by a man inside the restaurant. In a video posted online by Defend our Juries, the activist is seen telling him: "We would like you to de-proscribe Palestine Action. We would like you to declare genocide in Gaza."
The activist added: "One hundred metres from here, there are 200 people being arrested. If you want to have a conversation, come and talk to us as we're being arrested. Please come and talk to us now. Now is a good time to come and have a conversation."
Miliband's response
Mr Miliband refused the activist's request and attempted to end the interaction by saying "it was nice to meet you anyway." The person filming continued: "There are 200 people being arrested over there because of a decision that your ministers have made. They're over there waiting, they're peaceful. There are a load of pensioners being arrested for holding pieces of paper."
Arrests at the demonstration
Police arrested or reported for summons 161 people at Sunday's pro-Palestine demonstration outside the Labour Party conference. Hundreds of people sat outside the conference centre holding handmade banners saying they supported the banned group Palestine Action.
Police started making arrests in the afternoon, continuing for several hours. Merseyside Police said on Monday that officers arrested 82 people on suspicion of wearing or carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation, who were taken into police custody before being released on bail. A further 79 people were reported for summons.
A police statement said: "Merseyside Police respects everyone's rights to protest lawfully, while also aiming to keep the peace and ensure the public are safe. The force makes detailed and co-ordinated plans ahead of such events to ensure it can apply this consistently, fairly and proportionately."
