Saturday’s arrests carry the entire variety of individuals arrested because the ban on Palestine Motion got here into power to greater than 200
Greater than 100 individuals protesting towards the proscription of Palestine Motion have been arrested at demonstrations throughout the UK. Demonstrations had been held in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Truro on Saturday as a part of a marketing campaign co-ordinated by Defend Our Juries.
Protesters wrote the message “I oppose genocide I assist Palestine Motion” on placards earlier than being surrounded by cops on the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Sq., London. Officers confiscated the placards and searched the luggage of these arrested, with some protesters being carried away by police whereas others had been led away in handcuffs.
The Metropolitan Police stated 55 individuals had been arrested in Parliament Sq. below Part 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for displaying placards in assist of Palestine Motion.
The power stated an additional 9 individuals had been arrested for supporting Palestine Motion inside a separate large-scale march to Whitehall on Saturday by the Palestine Coalition. It added that one individual was arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence on the march and one other individual was arrested at a counter-protest by Cease the Hate for breaching Public Order Act circumstances.
Saturday’s arrests carry the entire variety of individuals arrested because the ban on Palestine Motion got here into power to greater than 200, with greater than 72 arrested throughout the UK final weekend and 29 the week earlier than. The Metropolitan Police stated protesters arrested in London stay on bail.
Better Manchester Police stated it arrested 16 individuals on Saturday on suspicion of assist of a proscribed organisation, including that they remained in custody for questioning. Avon and Somerset Police stated 17 individuals had been arrested throughout a protest in Bristol.
The power stated: “Officers engaged with protesters on School Inexperienced, explaining that the latest proscription of the Palestine Motion group by the Authorities made it a prison offence to precise assist for it below the Terrorism Act 2000. “Seventeen individuals had been arrested below Part 13 of the Act and a number of other placards had been seized.
“An additional three individuals might be invited to attend a voluntary interview at a future date. We’ll all the time goal to allow peaceable protest, nonetheless, the place prison offences are dedicated, together with these associated to proscribed teams, we’ll intervene.”
Eight individuals had been arrested close to Truro Cathedral in Cornwall after protesters gathered to point out assist for Palestine Motion. Devon and Cornwall Police stated in an announcement that round 30 protesters had been concerned within the “peaceable” Defend Our Juries demonstration.
The power added: “Plenty of placards which had been opposite to the legislation remained on show regardless of police recommendation. Eight individuals, two males and 6 ladies, had been arrested on suspicion of offences below Part 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. They continue to be in police custody.”
No arrests had been reported in Edinburgh. A lady who was detained by police in Parliament Sq. stated: “We demand that Palestine Motion is de-proscribed.
“Our Authorities isn’t solely arming a genocide, they’re utilizing terrorism legal guidelines to silence individuals who converse out. Palestine Motion are campaigning for peace. They’re dismantling weapons factories.”
As he was carried away by police, a protester in London stated: “Freedom of speech is lifeless on this nation, disgrace on the Metropolitan Police.”
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries stated: “Only a few weeks in the past, being arrested below the Terrorism Act was the stuff of nightmares. Now it’s a badge of honour that individuals are sporting with pleasure – the mark of resistance to genocide and standing agency for our democratic freedoms.”
A small variety of counter-protesters in Parliament Sq. held up placards which stated “there isn’t any genocide however there are 50 hostages nonetheless captive”.
It comes forward of a Excessive Court docket listening to on Monday during which the co-founder of Palestine Motion, Huda Ammori, will ask for the inexperienced mild to problem the Residence Secretary’s determination to ban the group below anti-terror legal guidelines. The ban implies that membership of, or assist for, the direct motion group is now a prison offence punishable by as much as 14 years in jail, below the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Metropolitan Police stated 70 individuals had been arrested at related demonstrations in Parliament Sq. over the previous two weekends. The transfer to ban the organisation got here after two Voyager plane had been broken at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Motion, which police stated precipitated about £7 million value of harm.
Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper introduced plans to proscribe Palestine Motion three days later, saying that the vandalism of the planes was “disgraceful” and the group had a “lengthy historical past of unacceptable prison injury”.
