Protest in support of Palestine defies police in London, 474 arrested

The Metropolitan Police have arrested 474 people for taking part in a peaceful demonstration in support of the banned organization Palestine Action in Parliament Square in London, UK. On Saturday (August 9), local time, the protest participants were charged with ‘violating counter-terrorism laws’, ‘assaulting police’ and ‘disturbing public order’. This is the largest mass arrest in Britain since the organization was banned under the 2000 Counter-Terrorism Act last July. At 1pm local time on Saturday (August 9), as Big Ben chimed, more than a hundred people held up handmade placards reading ‘I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action’. Police quickly approached each protester individually and began checking their identities. Those arrested, whose identities have been confirmed, have been released on bail on condition that they do not attend any further Palestine Action rallies. Those who refused to provide identification or whose identities could not be verified remain in detention. The British government listed Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July after more than 38,000 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza. The organization has been directly campaigning to demand the closure of British companies that produce Israeli weapons. The ban follows the arrest of the first three people in England and Wales, who are on trial. Some of those arrested could face court charges, which analysts say will spark a new debate about the limits of freedom of speech and protest in Britain.