Protesters denounce arrests by Metropolitan Police, chanting that Britain ignores more than 100,000 deaths in Gaza
Some 150 protesters were arrested during a London demonstration in support of the banned activist group Palestine Action, the police said Saturday.
"Officers have now made around 150 arrests at the Defend Our Juries (DOJ) protest for a range of offences, including assault on a police officer and expressing support for a proscribed organisation," Metropolitan Police posted on US social media company X.
Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square, where demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and signs while chanting: "Over 100,000 dead and you are arresting us instead" and "Resisting genocide is not a crime."
Some banners read "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" and "It’s not a crime to act against genocide."
As of 6.30 pm local time (1730GMT), police officers continue arresting protesters as around 1,500 protesters were estimated to be attending the rally – up from the 1,000 that had been expected to take part.
The Defend Our Juries group wrote on X that one of the arrested is Mike Higgins, a blind activist in a wheelchair.
In a similar protest last month, police detained more than 500 people.
Palestine Action was banned in July under the UK’s Terrorism Act, a decision that has led to the arrests of hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters for holding signs or showing support for the group.
The demonstration took place as the ongoing genocide in Gaza is nearly two years old. Israel’s military offensive has killed over 64,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities, leaving the enclave facing famine conditions.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
