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Nearly 900 arrests made at Saturday's Palestine Action protest - including 17 for assaulting police officers

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890 arrests made at Saturday's Palestine Action protest in central London. Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck

890 demonstrators were arrested at a central London rally protesting against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group, the Metropolitan Police has said.

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An estimated 1,500 took part in the protest in Parliament Square, Westminster, on Saturday and the force condemned the "intolerable" abuse it claims its officers suffered.

But organisers, campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ), insisted the rally was "the picture of peaceful protest".

A total of 890 people were arrested, with 857 arrests made for showing support for a proscribed group, while 33 people were arrested for assaulting police officers and other public order offences.

Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on June 20.

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Protesters holding placards gather at Parliament Square in...
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Police officers prepare to arrest protesters during the...
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Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said: "The violence we encountered during the operation was co-ordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.

"The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

"You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

"We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly."

Protesters hold placards stating 'I Oppose Genocide, I...
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A protester is arrested and taken away by police for taking...
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Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on June 20.

The Home Office is set to appeal against the High Court ruling allowing Palestine Action's co-founder, Huda Ammori, to proceed with a legal challenge against the Government over the group's ban.

Ms Ammori took legal action against the department over then-home secretary Yvette Cooper's decision to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws, which made membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.