Palestine Action protest arrests rise to more than 520

More than 520 people have been arrested for supporting banned group Palestine Action at a protest in central London on Saturday.

The arrests followed the demonstration in Parliament Square on Saturday, organised by Defend Our Juries, with the force warning in advance it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action.

The Met confirmed on Sunday that 522 people were held for displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation, out of 532 total arrests made during the policing operation.

Only 18 of those people remained in custody on Sunday afternoon but were expected to be released on bail “in the coming hours”, the Metropolitan Police said.

One arrest took place at the form up of the Palestine Coalition march in Russell Square, with the remaining 521 arrests at the protest in Parliament Square.

There were a further 10 arrests – six for assaults on officers, two for breaching Public Order Act conditions and one arrest for obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty and a racially aggravated public order offence respectively, the force said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked police in London and across the country on Saturday for their work to ensure peaceful protests, and officers’ “continued dedication in responding to support for a proscribed organisation”.

She said: “The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation.

“Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.”

The Met confirmed that the number of arrests was the largest made by the force on a single day in the last 10 years.

The average age of those arrested was 54, and the most arrests – 147 of them – were of people aged between 60 and 69.

The Met said its counter terrorism team was now working on bringing charges against those accused of supporting Palestine Action.

“Over the coming days and weeks, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command will work to put together the case files required to secure charges against those arrested as part of this operation,” they confirmed.

Detained protesters were taken to prisoner processing points in the Westminster area, and those whose details could be confirmed were bailed, with conditions not to attend any further protest in support of Palestine Action, Scotland Yard said on Saturday.

Those whose details were refused, or could not be verified, were taken to custody suites across London.

Some 320 people were dealt with at prisoner processing points while 212 were transported to custody, with 18 people remaining in the latter as of 1pm on Sunday, the force said.

On Saturday the crowd sat silently on the grass inside Parliament Square after writing “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” on white placards.

Police took several hours to individually remove the protesters, some sitting and some lying flat on the grass, from the square into waiting vans.

Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted “shame on you” at the police making arrests.

Scotland Yard said it was aware of photos and footage posted online suggesting that some of those who were bailed had returned to Parliament Square.

“We are as confident as we can be that none of those who returned to Parliament Square rejoined the protesters who were holding placards,” the force said.

The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command will work to secure charges against those arrested “over the coming days and weeks”, the force added.

Charity Amnesty International previously described the number of arrests under UK terrorism law as “deeply concerning”.

Earlier this week, the first three people to be charged with supporting Palestine Action in England and Wales were named.

Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have all been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration on July 5.

A further 26 case files relating to arrests at that same protest are due to be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service imminently, the Met said.

Membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000.