London witnessed one of the largest mass arrest operations in recent years as police detained hundreds of protesters during a demonstration against the government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action. The protest, held outside Parliament, drew hundreds of participants who chanted pro-Palestinian slogans and displayed signs declaring their opposition to the ban.
The Metropolitan Police reported that more than 460 people were taken into custody for supporting a proscribed organization, with several others arrested for offenses such as assaulting officers and breaching public order laws. Officers described the scale of the operation as unprecedented in recent memory.
The government’s decision to outlaw Palestine Action came after activists targeted a Royal Air Force base in June, damaging aircraft in a protest against the UK’s role in arms sales to Israel. The group’s proscription under anti-terrorism legislation makes it a criminal offense to express support for them, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
Human rights organizations and civil liberties advocates have condemned the arrests, warning that the crackdown represents a dangerous restriction on freedom of expression and peaceful protest. Amnesty International called the mass detentions “deeply concerning,” arguing that the law’s broad scope risks silencing dissent.
Despite the arrests, campaigners vowed to continue their activism. One protester described the operation as “an attack on democracy” and said the fight for Palestinian rights would not be silenced.
The controversy is set to continue later this year, as a co-founder of Palestine Action has secured a judicial review of the group’s proscription. The court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for protest rights and the balance between national security and civil liberties in the UK.
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