Over 425 arrested at London rally protesting Palestine Action ban
Hundreds gathered in London's Parliament Square to challenge the proscription of Palestine Action under the UK Terrorism Act, resulting in over 425 arrests.
Rally in Parliament Square
More than 425 people were arrested after hundreds gathered in Parliament Square to protest the UK government’s ban of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act. Demonstrators held placards reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" and staged a peaceful sit-in to challenge the proscription.
Police and legal action
The Metropolitan Police reported that most arrests were for supporting a proscribed organisation, with over 25 people detained for assaults on officers or public order offences. Officers said they faced punches, kicks, spitting and objects thrown at them as they tried to enforce the law, which carries up to 14 years in prison for those convicted.
Organisers’ response
Defend Our Juries, the rally’s organiser, accused police of using excessive force against peaceful protesters, including the elderly, and called the ban a "preposterous waste of resources." The group shared footage showing an officer pushing an older protester to the ground and said resistance to the ban was "growing exponentially."
Voices from the square
Margaret, 79, travelled from Dorset to join the protest. "It’s absurd to label us terrorists for holding cardboard signs," she said. Mike Higgins, 62, a blind wheelchair user previously arrested at a similar rally, returned to Parliament Square. "What choice do we have? This is our only response to genocide," he told reporters.
Aftermath and reactions
Amnesty International’s director of campaigns described the arrests as "genuinely shocking," warning that using terrorism laws against peaceful protesters undermines democratic rights. Organisers estimated around 1,500 people defied the ban, forcing significant police resources to be diverted.
The arrests highlight the tension between national security legislation and the right to peaceful protest in the UK.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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