Half of the 532 people arrested during a protest in London on Saturday in relation to Palestine Action were aged 60 or above, according to Metropolitan Police figures. The demonstration, organised by Defend Our Juries in Parliament Square, was the largest since the group was proscribed last month.
Nearly all arrests – 522 – were made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for displaying placards or signs in support of a proscribed organisation. An age breakdown released by police revealed that nearly 100 of those detained were in their 70s and 15 were in their 80s.
Among those arrested was Sir Jonathon Porritt, 75, a former government adviser, who described the proscription of Palestine Action as 'a measure of the government’s desperation'. He was bailed until 23 October. Others included Chris Romberg, 75, a former British army officer, and poet Alice Oswald, 58, who was arrested under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act.
Defend Our Juries said all those arrested had been released by Sunday evening and no charges had been brought. The Met said it had provided water, toilets and medics at processing points, but added that 'a degree of personal responsibility is required on the part of those who chose to come and break the law'.
