The number of arrests at Saturday’s demonstration in London in support of banned group Palestine Action has risen to 532, according to the Metropolitan Police. The majority of arrests, 521, were made for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action at Westminster’s Parliament Square.
Six people were arrested for assaulting police officers, two for breaching Public Order Act conditions, one for obstructing a constable, and one for a racially aggravated public order offence. The average age of those arrested was 54, with the most arrests made of people aged between 60 and 69.
The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, saw hundreds of people simultaneously pull out placards with messages opposing genocide and supporting Palestine Action when Big Ben chimed at 13:00 BST on Saturday. Police started making multiple arrests, working their way through the crowds, and those who refused to move were carried out by police.
Many protesters were released on bail to appear at a police station at a future date under condition not to attend future demonstrations related to Palestine Action. However, 212 protesters who refused to provide their details or were already on bail were taken into custody.
Critics argue that the laws used to arrest the protesters were not designed for groups of this size and nature. Security expert Lizzie Dearden told the BBC that the Terrorism Act “was drafted in the late Nineties” for armed militant groups, but is now being applied to peaceful protests.
Charity Amnesty International’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh described the mass arrests as “deeply concerning”, saying they demonstrate that UK terrorism law is a threat to freedom of expression.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjyyzlwk2go