Seventy-two people were arrested during a protest outside a London court on Thursday, where four supporters of Palestine Action were being sentenced for causing over £1.2 million in damage at an Israeli defence firm's factory in Bristol.
Protest Outside Woolwich Crown Court
Around 500 demonstrators gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London, chanting 'Free Palestine' and holding signs reading 'Direct Action Saves Lives' and 'Direct Action is not Terrorism'. The protest coincided with the sentencing of four activists who destroyed equipment at the Elbit factory in Bristol.
Police vans arrived at the scene, and the first arrest occurred around 1:20 PM. As officers carried away protesters—each held by limbs—the crowd applauded some while berating others. Chants included 'you're complicit in genocide' and 'Met police, shame, shame, all the crimes in your name'.
Arrests and Legal Context
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 72 people were arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation—Palestine Action. All remain in police custody. Palestine Action was designated a terrorist group in the UK, a move that has faced widespread criticism. Supporting the organisation is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Campaign group Defend Our Juries, which opposes the proscription, stated: 'Hundreds of people are willing to be arrested as terrorists to highlight that what is happening to the four young people being sentenced today should absolutely not be happening in a British court of law. Saving lives is not terrorism, and the people taking action today, along with leading lawyers, celebrities, teachers and health workers, are saying it is dangerous for everyone if the judges are allowed to misuse the law in this way.'
In February, the High Court ruled that the proscription of Palestine Action is unlawful, but it remains in place pending a government appeal.
