Violent confrontations erupt at Palestine Action demonstration, leading to approximately 425 arrests by law enforcement.
In a tense demonstration in London, more than 530 people were arrested after gathering to protest against the recent ban of Palestine Action as a terror group. The organizer of the protest, Defend Our Juries, estimated that 1,500 people had attended the event.
The protest, which began at the scheduled time, saw officers subjected to physical and verbal abuse. Officers were punched, kicked, spat on, and had objects thrown at them. Tense scenes included several protesters falling over in a crush and water being thrown at officers. The Metropolitan Police warned that expressing support for a proscribed organization is a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act.
The Met Police used "street bail" to release suspects on bail instead of processing them in custody. More than 25 of the arrests were made for assault. The first arrests of the day were made just 12 minutes after the protest's official start time.
The crowd chanted "shame on you" and "you're supporting genocide". Many protesters held signs saying "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." However, the Met Police stated that any assaults against officers will not be tolerated.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart stated that the protest required significant resources and took officers out of neighborhoods. She added that the majority of protests, including the Palestine Coalition march, attended by around 20,000 people, had few arrests.
The name of the organizer of the protests, who described the protest to the police as "the image of a peaceful protest," has not been explicitly identified. However, the protests were organized by Defend Our Juries, and Anne Alexander spoke on behalf of the organizers in related statements.
Protesters took action in support of a proscribed terror organization. The Met Police stated that they will continue to uphold the law and ensure public safety.
Notably, Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori is facing a legal challenge in November. The ban on Palestine Action came shortly after two Voyager aircraft suffered around £7m worth of damage at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the protests against the ban of Palestine Action have led to significant disruption and a high number of arrests. The Metropolitan Police will continue to monitor and respond to any further protests in accordance with the law.
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