LONDON (BN24) — More than 70 people were arrested across the United Kingdom on Saturday during protests against the government’s decision to classify the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization following a break-in at a Royal Air Force base last month.
In London, the Metropolitan Police said officers detained 42 demonstrators by late afternoon. All but one were taken into custody for showing support for a proscribed organization—an offense that includes chanting slogans, displaying flags or signs, or wearing clothing linked to the group. One additional arrest was made for common assault.
Authorities in Manchester reported 16 arrests connected to the demonstrations, while police in Cardiff said 13 people were also detained during gatherings there.
Saturday’s protest in London was the second consecutive weekend that supporters assembled to condemn the ban. The demonstrations drew participants to Parliament Square, where crowds gathered beneath the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Protesters held signs reading, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” while a large contingent of police officers and journalists surrounded the area.
As police moved in to enforce the ban, some demonstrators lay down on the pavement or stacked themselves on top of one another in an act of civil disobedience. Officers carried several protesters to waiting vans as others had their bags searched and signs confiscated.
The UK government officially designated Palestine Action a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act 2000 earlier this month. Membership or public support for the group now carries penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The organization joins 81 others already banned under the Act, including Hamas and al-Qaida.
The government’s decision followed an incident on June 20, when Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. According to police, they used crowbars and red paint to damage two aircraft, causing an estimated £7 million ($9.4 million) in damage. The action was staged in protest of British military support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.
Four suspects, aged between 22 and 35, have been charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes deemed harmful to UK interests. They are scheduled to appear before the Central Criminal Court in London, known as the Old Bailey, on July 18.
lemode.fr
