‘This is not a non-violent organisation’: Home Secretary defends Palestine Action ban as at least 466 arrested

Hundreds attended Saturday's demonstration in Parliament Square, organised by Defend Our Juries.

The Metropolitan Police said it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action.

In a post shared to X, the force issued an arrest update saying: "Arrest update: Parliament Square and Whitehall are clear.

"As of 9pm, 466 people had been arrested for showing support for Palestine Action.

"There were a further eight arrests for other offences including five assaults on officers.

"This will be the final update of the day."

Supporting a proscribed group is a terror offence in the UK.

Yvette Cooper released a statement in support of police and the ban on the group saying: "Many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear-this is not a non-violent organisation."

'Violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage'

her full statement reads: “Tens of thousands of people marched in London today to protest in support of Palestinian rights, working with the police to carry out their demonstration largely without incident. This will have been replicated in many other parts of the country too. We thank the police for their work in dealing with the very small number of people whose actions crossed the line into criminality. 

“The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation.

"Palestine Action was proscribed based on strong security advice following serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.

"It also follows an assessment from the Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre that the group prepares for terrorism, as well as concerning information referencing plans and ideas for further attacks, the details of which cannot yet be publicly reported due to ongoing legal proceedings.

“Many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear - this is not a non-violent organisation.  UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority.

“Their actions are not about the horrific suffering in the Middle East and do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who are exercising their rights to protest peacefully.

“I would like to thank the police in London and across the country for their work to facilitate peaceful attendance at protests large and small today and officers' continued dedication in responding to support for a proscribed organisation.”

Officers began arresting protesters in Parliament Square after they brandished placards reading: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action."

Clusters of officers could be seen holding individual protesters sat on the edge of the grass and escorting them through swelling crowds to police vans on the edge of the square.

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A separate group of officers could be seen attending to a protester lying next to the fenced-off Emmeline Pankhurst statue.

The main, larger group of protesters in the middle of the central London square remained sat quietly holding their placards.

Taking to X, the Metropolitan Police said: "Arrest update: We’ve now made more than 50 arrests in Parliament Square and our interventions continue.

"We have significant resources deployed to this operation. It will take time but we will arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action."

Defend Our Juries said between 600 and 700 people were participating in the protest supporting the banned Palestine Action in Parliament Square.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Home Secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights.

“It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues.

“Freedom to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and we protect it fiercely.

“The decision to proscribe was based on strong security advice and the unanimous recommendation by the expert cross-government proscription review group.

“This followed serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage.

“It also followed an assessment from the joint terrorism assessment centre that Palestine Action prepares for terrorism, as well as worrying information referencing plans and ideas for further attacks, the details of which cannot yet be publicly reported due to ongoing legal proceedings.”

One person has also been arrested for supporting the proscribed group at a separate protest in London and four others were detained for assaults on officers.

Earlier this week, the first three people to be charged with supporting Palestine Action in England and Wales were named.

Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have all been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration last month.

Hundreds have been arrested in the wave of Defend Our Juries protests across the UK since the ban was implemented by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last month.