The backers of the banned group rallied on Parliament Square on Saturday
More than 425 people were arrested in London on Saturday for showing support for the banned activist group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police said.
The group was outlawed under the Terrorism Act in June after its members broke into a military base and spray-painted two planes red in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza. Since then, its supporters have staged multiple demonstrations against the ban.
On Saturday, activists gathered on Parliament Square carrying Palestinian flags and signs reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
Police detained people standing and sitting on the lawn, including several activists in wheelchairs. Some protesters were filmed scuffling with officers.
“In carrying out their duties today, our officers have been punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them by protesters,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said.
Protesters remained in Parliament Square until the evening. Defend Our Juries, the group that organized the rally, described the protest as “one of the biggest mass acts of civil disobedience in British history.”
