More than 500 people were arrested at a demonstration in London opposing the proscription of Palestine Action, following the high court's ruling that the ban was unlawful. The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, took place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, with hundreds holding signs reading 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'
The Metropolitan Police reported 523 arrests by midnight, with ages ranging from 18 to 87. Officers began detaining individuals on the edges of the demonstration shortly after 1pm, with some protesters being carried away. One elderly woman using walking sticks was escorted from the scene, and a woman told officers, 'You could be on your way catching real criminals.'
Demonstrators sat on camping chairs and the ground, with some dressed as suffragettes and others wearing masks of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Banners displayed messages including 'Jurors deserve to hear the whole truth' and 'Israel starves kids.' Mike Higgins, a blind disabled man whose previous arrests have caused controversy, also participated.
Defend Our Juries described the arrests as 'truly surreal,' stating that the Met was acting despite the ban being ruled unlawful and lawyers warning that arrests would be unlawful. The group noted the government's appeal against the high court decision, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood granted permission to appeal.
Former Palestine Action-affiliated prisoner Qesser Zuhrah, who was on hunger strike for 48 days, said the 'entire world' opposes the ban. She added, 'The ones that create the weapons and use them to bomb children ... they are the terrorists.' Kamran Ahmed, who was on hunger strike for over 60 days, expressed support for 'righteous people taking righteous action.'
Other protesters criticised the proscription, with Ally, a 72-year-old sculptor, calling it 'blatantly absurd' and warning of threats to free speech. Retired British Library curator Andy Simons, 73, wore a sign reading 'Free, free speech,' emphasising the importance of peaceful protest.
