Violent clashes erupt at London Palestine Action protest

Violent clashes have broken out at a protest in support of Palestine Action (Jeff Moore/PA) Jeff Moore

Violent clashes erupted at a central London demonstration supporting Palestine Action, the group recently banned by the Government as a terrorist organisation. An estimated 1,500 people gathered in Westminster for the rally, which quickly developed an increasingly anti-police tone.

Protesters directed chants of "shame on you" and "you're supporting genocide" at officers, with some making references to former police officer and murderer Wayne Couzens. Police drew their batons during confrontations, with one protester seen with blood streaming down his face behind a barrier after being arrested.

Around 150 people have been arrested so far during the demonstration. Scotland Yard confirmed that officers experienced sustained physical and verbal abuse as they moved to make arrests for supporting the proscribed organisation, with some arrests made for assault.

Scenes of Violence and Peace

Frantic scenes unfolded across the area as officers forced their way through crowds carrying arrested protesters. Demonstrators had screaming arguments with police and threw water and plastic bottles at them, whilst several protesters fell over in a crush at one point.

Despite the widespread violence on neighbouring streets, Parliament Square Green remained largely peaceful. Several hundred protesters, many of them elderly, spent the day sitting on the grass holding signs reading "I support Palestine Action".

Dozens of doctors in their scrubs unfurled a banner reading "Medical duty & terror law", with badges identifying their roles including doctor, surgeon and physio. Families of Holocaust survivors also held a sign stating "Holocaust survivor descendants against genocide".

Criticism and Defiance

Kerry Moscogiuri of Amnesty International UK criticised the arrests under terrorism laws. "When the Government is arresting people under terrorism laws for sitting peacefully in protest, something is going very wrong here in the UK," she said. "Criminalising speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence or advocates hatred. Expressing support for Palestine Action does not, in itself, meet this threshold."

A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries described the situation as escalating resistance. "State repression has not worked. This is becoming Labour's Poll Tax moment," they said. "The resistance to this ridiculous ban keeps on growing exponentially. It is also bringing together social movements in common cause."

Mike Higgins, a 62-year-old blind wheelchair user, returned to protest after being arrested at a previous demonstration last month. "What choice do I have? Nothing is being done about the genocide other than by us," he told PA. "And I'm a terrorist? That's the joke of it. I've already been arrested under the Terrorism Act and I suspect I will be today. Of course I'll keep coming back - what choice do I have?"

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.