Multiple arrests at pro-Palestine protest in London
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Last Saturday, police made nine arrests as thousands of protesters took to the streets of Central London to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Since Israel’s military response to the Hamas attack on October 7th – which has seen tens of thousands of Palestinians killed – there have been seven national pro-Palestinian protests in the UK. Saturday’s demonstration in Central London was part of an international day of action in solidarity with Palestine, with protests taking place in 30 countries.
Speakers at the event praised South Africa’s decision to open a UN genocide case against Israel, and condemned US-UK air strikes in Yemen.
There was an increased police presence at the protest, with over 1700 officers tasked with overseeing the march, some of them brought in from outside London.
A total of nine people were arrested at the protests. According to the Guardian, three people were arrested for giving out leaflets supporting a proscribed (prohibited) organisation, three people for inciting racial hatred, two people for ‘racially aggravated public order offences’, and one person for suspected criminal damage.
A statement from Met Counter Terrorism Commander Dominic Murphy, said "The vast majority of people attending protests are doing so peacefully. There are consequences for those who are not and where officers see people supporting proscribed organisations we will take action, as we did this weekend."
Arrests were made under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which states that it is an offence to ‘invite’ support for, or express an opinion in support of, a proscribed organisation. Groups proscribed by the UK government include Hamas, as well as Islamic fundamentalist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir (as of the 19th January).
With protests in support of Palestine largely banned in France, Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and heavy police presence at demonstrations in the UK, some have questioned policies regarding freedom of speech and the right to protest.