PROTESTERS allegedly showing support for the banned group Palestine Action have been detained and arrested outside courts in London.
The Metropolitan Police said that more than 100 arrests have been made after people displayed signs backing the group, which is proscribed under terrorism laws, at the Royal Court of Justice after Labour’s ban was ruled to have been lawful.
Elsewhere, two men have been arrested for the same outside the Old Bailey.
The Court of Appeal found on Monday that the Home Secretary’s ban on Palestine Action was lawful after it had previously found to have been excessive on human rights grounds by a lower court.
In a statement posted to social media, the Metropolitan Police said: “We acknowledge the Court of Appeal’s judgment that the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action was lawful.
“This means that expressing support for the organisation remains a criminal offence and officers will arrest those who break the law.
“Officers are policing a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice today where a number of people are displaying placards in support of Palestine Action.
“Arrests are under way.”
As of 6.40pm on Monday, 117 people have been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation.
At the Old Bailey, where a trial is due to begin for an alleged break-in by the direct action group, two men were carried off by police for carrying Palestine Action placards.
Around 30 pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the central London court which will hear the case on the alleged Palestine Action break-in at a UK site of an Israel-based defence firm.
Chief Superintendent Helen Isaac, of the City of London Police, said: “We acknowledge the Court of Appeal’s judgment that the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action was lawful.
“This means that expressing support for the organisation remains a criminal offence and officers will arrest those who break the law.
“Officers are policing a protest outside the Old Bailey today. So far, two men have been arrested for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action.”
