Dozens arrested at protests over Palestine Action ban

Events take place in London, Manchester, Bristol and Truro

- MY-CLARE MARTIN, ATHENA STAVROU

The Metropolitan Police yesterday arrested 55 demonstrators in central London for holding placards which expressed support for Palestine Action, as dozens were detained at similar protests across the country.

The Metropolitan Police yesterday arrested 55 demonstrators in central London for holding placards which expressed support for Palestine Action, as dozens were detained at similar protests across the country. It is the third weekend in a row in which protests against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terror group have ended in mass arrests in the capital, after 42 were hauled away by police last weekend.

The force confirmed yesterday it had started making arrests after demonstrators wrote the message “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” on white placards and held the signs aloft before being surrounded by police officers at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square.

Police said 55 people were arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for holding the signs in support of the banned group.

Some were carried away by officers, while others were led away in handcuffs. A small number of counterprotesters held up placards which said “there is no genocide but there are 50 hostages still captive”.

The Met said 70 people were arrested at similar demonstrations in Parliament Square over the past two weekends.