Police have arrested 474 people at a demonstration in central London against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, making it the largest number of arrests linked to a single operation in at least a decade, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The protest, organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries, drew hundreds of people to Parliament Square on Saturday. The Met estimated that between 500 and 600 people were present when the demonstration began, though officers said many were not taking part. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said the turnout showed how "repulsed and ashamed" people were about the government's "ongoing complicity in a livestreamed genocide", and criticised the "widely ridiculed" law. The group also said the police had arrested only "a fraction" of those allegedly committing offences, and that most had been released on street bail.
Demonstrators held signs reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" and remained silent during the early stages. One woman, while being dragged away by police, gestured towards Parliament and said: "Arrest the people complicit in the genocide." Another participant, Zoe, who wore a patch reading "Jews Against Genocide", described the atmosphere as "completely peaceful" and said: "A terrorist act is intentionally starving 2 million." Suzan Broom said she clapped and cheered for those being taken away, adding: "I've been following them and saying thank you because I'm too scared."
Officers made a small number of arrests before the official 1pm start time, and continued to detain people throughout the afternoon. Two women taking part, one in her mid-70s, were arrested midway through an interview with the Guardian. One of them said the vandalism of RAF aircraft by Palestine Action members was "a protest action, it's not at all terrorism", adding: "Those planes are the terrorists." During bag searches, officers found items including bread and milk in one backpack.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked officers following the operation and defended the ban, saying: "This is not a nonviolent organisation. UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority." The Met said it had drawn officers from other forces to provide a "significant policing presence" in anticipation of the demonstration. By 9pm, Parliament Square and Whitehall had been cleared.
