Police Arrest 92 Protesters at London Rally Against Palestine Action Ban
The Metropolitan Police confirmed a total of 92 arrests were made during a mass demonstration in central London on Saturday, as hundreds gathered to protest the government's ban on the activist group Palestine Action. The protest, organised by the Defend Our Juries group under the banner "Everyone Day", saw a significant police presence and multiple confrontations in Trafalgar Square.
Confrontations and Arrests in Trafalgar Square
Around 100 police officers were deployed at the base of Trafalgar Square, approaching the protest in coordinated lines before making arrests. Multiple protesters were physically carried out of the crowd by officers, with one woman requesting a brief rest as she was lifted. Bystanders shouted "stop harming women" as police placed her on the ground momentarily before resuming the arrest.
Protesters, some carried by their ankles and under their arms, were led to a fenced-off area at the side of the square. Police were also seen removing a woman from the protest as chants of "shame on you" echoed through the crowd. An elderly protester using a walking stick was escorted to police vans, while another individual was taken away in handcuffs.
Protest Details and Participant Statements
Hundreds of demonstrators congregated in Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon, sitting on camping chairs and the ground while holding placards reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Large banners near the National Gallery displayed messages including "Jurors deserve to hear the whole truth" and "Israel starves kids."
A 69-year-old female protester, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the Press Association: "I've been arrested once before, but I wasn't prepared to do it today for various reasons. I have grandchildren to look after. I'm here to support." When asked if being arrested deterred her from protesting, she responded: "Of course not."
She elaborated: "It is the most important thing, and I'm old, in my lifetime, it's huge. It's a real takeover of the world and its resources. And it's terrifying. There is a massive genocide that has gone on for a really long time. They have a lust for murder, a lust for hanging. A lust for torture."
Police Confirmation and Legal Basis
The Metropolitan Police stated that all arrests made during the demonstration were for showing support for a proscribed organisation, with those detained ranging in age from 27 to 82 years old. Defend Our Juries had promoted the event as demonstrating that resistance to the Palestine Action ban remains "stronger than ever."
A 53-year-old woman, also anonymous, held a sign reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" as she sat in Trafalgar Square. She emphasised that protesters were exercising a "civil right" by participating in the demonstration.
