13 hours ago
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Reuters
Police have started arresting protesters at a demonstration against the government's ban of the campaign group Palestine Action.
Hundreds of people have gathered in Parliament Square in central London, some waving Palestinian flags and chanting "free Palestine". Others held placards saying: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action."
Officers have been seen carrying people out of the crowd, after some protesters said they planned to refuse bail and go "floppy" if they were arrested.
The Metropolitan Police had earlier warned that people showing support for the group, which is banned under anti-terrorism law, would face arrest.
The government proscribed Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act in July, making membership of or support of the group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest, estimated on Saturday afternoon that around 1,500 people were "currently defying the ban" in Westminster.
Just 12 minutes after the protest's official start time, the Met Police said: "Officers have begun making arrests for expressing support for proscribed terror organisation Palestine Action at the protest organised by Defend Our Juries."
Tensions flared between demonstrators and officers, who faced chants of "shame on you" and "you're supporting genocide" while they carried out arrests.
The police presence was reinforced partway through the protest, with City of London Police officers joining the Met force in the square.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said "resistance to this ridiculous ban keeps on growing exponentially".
Reuters
Officers were seen escorting people away through the crowds
PA Media
Organisers estimated around 1,500 people took part in the protest
Saturday's protest follows a major demonstration last month which saw more than 500 people arrested for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action.
The average age of those arrested at the August rally was 54, and the most arrests - 147 of them - were of people aged between 60 and 69.
Speaking at the time, charity Amnesty International's chief executive Sacha Deshmukh described the mass arrests as "deeply concerning".
Earlier this week, the Home Office was given permission to challenge a ruling which allowed Palestine Action to appeal against its ban under terror legislation.
The group's co-founder, Huda Ammori, was granted permission to appeal in July after her lawyers argued the ban breached the right to free speech.
