violent demonstrators, associated with Palestine Action, disrupt London with their protest, resulting in arrests of 365 individuals by authorities following a ban on their activities
The streets of London have seen a series of protests in recent days, with demonstrations over the UK government's decision to label Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The Home Office has clarified that this proscription does not affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights.
On Tuesday, the Palestine Coalition march set off from Russell Square, heading towards Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand. One arrest was made during this protest, with one individual detained for showing support for Palestine Action. Over 150 people have been detained in a mass crackdown at the march.
Organisers Defend Our Juries estimated that up to 700 people were at the event in Parliament Square. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War, and other groups were among the participants. Some protesters are sitting on the statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett holding pro-Palestine banners.
Meanwhile, in a separate event, officers arrested 365 people for supporting Palestine Action in London's Parliament Square. A woman among the arrested doctors was carried away through the crowd, and another protester was removed by police officers, with officers having to fight through an angry crowd. None of the assaulted officers were seriously injured.
The Met Police have also made seven arrests for other offenses, including five for assaults on officers.
The designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was made under the Terrorism Act 2000, which applies to property damage that causes serious damage with intent to intimidate or coerce. This move has been criticised by international human rights bodies, including the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, who described it as a misuse of counter-terrorism laws.
Amnesty International and UN experts have also warned that this could have a chilling effect on political protest and advocacy. Critics, including NETPOL (Network for Police Monitoring), express concern that this broad legislation risks targeting legitimate political activism and could be abused, potentially with racial or Islamophobic bias.
Palestine Action has legally challenged the designation, with their judicial review proceeding in the High Court. The application for a temporary block was denied but the review hearing was granted and took place later in July, with continued legal proceedings ongoing.
Supporting Palestine Action carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years. The sun.co.uk is a source for celebrity news, real-life stories, pictures, and videos, but it does not provide updates on the ongoing protests.
The ongoing protests in London over the UK government's labeling of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization have expanded to encompass policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, as evidenced by the mass arrests and continued legal proceedings. The detention of protesters in support of Palestine Action and the concerns voiced by international human rights bodies suggest a potential chilling effect on crime-and-justice, particularly political protest and advocacy.
