Police arrested 522 people for displaying items supporting Palestine Action during a protest in Parliament Square on Saturday, with a total of 532 arrests made during the operation. The mass arrests followed the Government's proscription of the organisation as a terrorist group under counter-terror laws, as the Daily Mail reports.
Downing Street defended the proscription decision on Monday, saying Palestine Action had committed serious attacks involving violence, significant injury and extensive criminal damage. The Prime Minister's spokesman said the designation was based on strong security advice and would not be reconsidered, according to the Daily Mail.
Terrorism designation findings
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre found Palestine Action had carried out three separate acts of terrorism, according to government sources. The independent authority, based within MI5, provided security assessments that supported the proscription through what officials described as a robust, evidence-based process.
Conservative MPs are pressuring Attorney General Lord Hermer over potential prosecutions amid accusations of two-tier justice, the Daily Mail reports. Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said supporters would face the full force of the law and cited credible reports of the group targeting Jewish-owned businesses.
Police operations
Counter Terrorism Command officers are working over the coming weeks to prepare case files for potential prosecutions following Saturday's arrests. The demonstration was organised by Defend Our Juries, with the Metropolitan Police warning in advance it would detain anyone expressing support for Palestine Action, as the Daily Mail confirmed.
The majority of arrested protesters were aged 50 or over, with 348 people falling into this demographic according to police breakdowns published on Sunday. Those whose details could be confirmed were released on bail to appear at police stations at future dates, with additional arrests made for assaults on officers and public order offences.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori described the arrests as a momentous act of collective defiance, the Daily Mail reports. The proscription was linked to an incident at RAF Brize Norton in June where two Voyager aircraft were damaged.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
