The Met said 488 of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed organisation, with the youngest person held being 18 and the oldest 89….reports Asian Lite News
Nearly 500 people have been arrested in central London during protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. Organisers Defend Our Juries said around 1,000 people took part in demonstrations around Trafalgar Square backing Palestine Action — a group proscribed by the government in July, making it illegal to show any support or affiliation to them.
The Met said 488 of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed organisation, with the youngest person held being 18 and the oldest 89. Protesters gathered despite appeals from ministers and police to postpone demonstrations following Thursday’s deadly synagogue attack in Manchester.
According to BBC reporting, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had urged protesters to “respect the grief of British Jews,” and Jewish figures condemned the protests. However, Defend Our Juries member Zoe Cohen said she was “grieving after the appalling synagogue attack” but also “grieving for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been murdered, displaced and starved in Gaza.” She added: “I think it’s possible for us to be compassionate and open our hearts to victims of multiple atrocities at one time.”
In a statement released during the protest, Cohen said: “If today’s vigil had been cancelled we would have been letting terror win.” Police said the bulk of those arrested were detained for gathering in Trafalgar Square, while six were arrested earlier in the day for unfurling a banner supporting the proscribed group on Westminster Bridge.
The BBC reported that the arrests took time because “many of those arrested would not walk out of the square and needed to be carried,” a process requiring at least five officers to ensure safety. Earlier, police said most people remaining in Trafalgar Square were onlookers who were not holding placards in support of Palestine Action. A separate protest group gathered in Whitehall later, blocking the road and attempting to march toward Trafalgar Square and then Parliament Square. Public Order Act conditions were imposed, requiring protesters to leave the road and assemble on Richmond Terrace.
Police said a total of 492 people were arrested on Saturday, with four arrests relating to offences such as being drunk and disorderly, common assault, and a public order offence. As of 22:00 BST, 297 people remained in custody, with the rest bailed.
During a silent vigil at Trafalgar Square, the names of Palestinian children killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict were read out. Ahead of the demonstrations, the Met Police said it would deploy 1,500 officers to the site. Among those arrested was a vicar holding a poster reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” who was carried away by officers. Some onlookers criticised police actions, while others expressed gratitude for their presence.
