Over 400 people were arrested in London on Saturday for protesting the United Kingdom‘s decision to ban a pro-Palestinian group under an anti-terrorism law, according to British authorities.
At least 466 people were arrested for backing the U.K.-based Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police said in an updated statement Saturday night. The previous number of arrests was 365.
Police said another eight arrests were made for other offenses, including five assaults on officers. None were seriously injured in the attacks.
British lawmakers voted last month to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group after two members of the group vandalized and damaged two military aircraft at the British air force’s Brize Norton base in June. Palestine Action targeted the British air base as part of its stated efforts to disrupt weapons manufacturers supplying Israel amid its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Palestine Action was banned under the Terrorism Act of 2000, which makes it illegal to be a member of or a supporter of the organization. The criminal offense is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Hundreds of people turned out in support of the proscribed group in London’s Parliament Square on Saturday. Defend Our Juries, which organized the mass protest, estimated there were about 1,000 people holding signs that read “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”
“The police have only been able to arrest a fraction of those supposedly committing ‘terrorism’ offenses, and most of those have been given street bail and allowed to go home,” Defend Our Juries said. “This is a major embarrassment to [the government], further undermining the credibility of this widely ridiculed law, brought in to punish those exposing the government’s own crimes.”
While the protest organizers claimed only a “fraction” of demonstrators were arrested, British police suggested most were arrested after estimating “around 500 to 600 people” were in Parliament Square when the protest started. Many bystanders were not protesting, according to the police.
“Many were onlookers, media, or people not holding placards in support of Palestine Action,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement, accusing the group of spreading misinformation.
“We are confident that anyone who came to Parliament Square today to hold a placard expressing support for Palestine Action was either arrested or is in the process of being arrested,” they added.
Amnesty International condemned the arrests, while British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked police officers for cracking down on the unlawful protest.
“The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation,” she said.
“Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage,” she added.
Palestine Action is challenging its ban in court, alleging the anti-terrorism law is being used to restrict freedom of expression illegally. Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori won a bid to challenge the ban late last month, with the judge granting permission to seek judicial review.
