More than 425 people have been arrested at the largest demonstration yet opposing the proscription of Palestine Action.
Defend Our Juries, who organised the demonstrations, said there were 1,500 sign-holders in Parliament Square on Saturday at a fresh protest in London against the ban. At the previous major demonstration last month, 532 people were arrested for taking part. Participants gathered in Parliament Square by 1pm, many holding signs that read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
At just after 9pm, the Metropolitan police said it had made more than 425 arrests. The Met’s deputy assistant commissioner, Claire Smart, who led the operation, said: “In carrying out their duties today, our officers have been punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them by protesters. It is intolerable that those whose job it is to enforce the law and keep people safe – in this case arresting individuals committing offences under the Terrorism Act – should be subject to this level of abuse.”
These people are opposed to the proscription of PA as a terrorist group, which is why they are protesting. They are making a point; that arresting these people for terrorism is ridiculous and authoritarian, and you might not like PA as a group personally but it sets a precedent, as the government can and will use “terrorism” to clamp down on any organisation or protest they deem to challenge them.
Thanks for your arguments without any insults.
I get your point, although from my view, it’s not a random organization that is just like any other, as the intensity of the crimes is… exceptional. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Action#Legal_actions
The proscription was in response to their protest in 2022 where they aimed to destroy some equipment. This isn’t a terrorist act. The people involved were prosecuted under existing laws and served prison time for what they did, which were not acts of terror.
Their acts are not violent, they are not threatening anyone and calling throwing paint at planes “serious damage to property” is a stretch.
If we are going to give organisations the label of terrorist based on this flimsy criteria then Reform should also be proscribed for inciting people to protest at hotels where asylum seeker children are living, commiting arson and threatening violence. Physical violence against humans.
Palestine Action want the UK to stop sending military equipment to Israel. There are people in power making a fuck load of money off this, and they’ve proscribed PA after being out under pressure to make them go away.