Police have arrested almost 30 people on suspicion of terrorism offences after protesters gathered in Parliament Square holding signs supporting Palestine Action, just hours after a ban on the group came into effect.
Around two dozen people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on Saturday expressing support for the group, which is now a proscribed terrorist organisation.
They held signs saying: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'
Shortly after their arrival, police officers could be seen engaging with the protesters and the Met said it had began making arrests. Several people were seen being carried away by officers.
A spokesperson for the force said: 'Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square.
'The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence. Arrests are being made.'
They later added: 'A total of 29 arrests were made during this afternoon's protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. They remain in custody.'
Campaign group Defend Our Juries said today's protest will be the first in a series of actions which will see activists take to Parliament Square every week.
The Met Police said it was making arrests over the protest in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon
Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, is pictured as she joined the protest in support of Palestine Action in Westminster on Saturday
Metropolitan Police officers remove people from a protest in support of Palestine Action
Around 30 people, including a priest, professor and an emergency care worker who is just back from Gaza, sat in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on Saturday expressing support for the group
A woman is carried away by police from a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square this afternoon
Campaign group Defend Our Juries said today's protest will be the first in a series of actions which will see activists take to Parliament Square every week
It comes after the Home Office today welcomed the ban on Palestine Action, with the group failing to block its proscription as a terrorist organisation in a late-night legal bid.
Lawyers representing co-founder Huda Ammori, whose father is Palestinian, asked for the decision to be delayed at least until July 21.
The designation as a terror group means that membership of or support for Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The Met Police issued a warning ahead of the protest, stating there are a number of events taking place in London this weekend and 'anyone attending should be aware that officers policing these will act where criminal offences, including those related to support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed'.
Proscription makes it a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) to invite or express support for an organisation through chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos, the Met said.
A woman in handcuffs is removed from Parliament Square by officers from the Met Police
At today's protest one man held a sign which read: 'Dear police, I love Yvette Cooper's Palestine Action'
It is also illegal to belong to the organisation or publish similar signs of support online.
A woman seen lying on the floor in handcuffs was carried away in the air by officers and put in a police van.
Officers placed her in the vehicle parked on the road behind the square before returning to the Mahatma Ghandi statue.
One of those seen at today's protest is 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, who has previously been arrested for action she took to call for urgent change to tackle the climate crisis.
A woman is removed from the scene of the protest by multiple officers on Saturday
Activists being taken into custody
A protester is carried to a police van by officers from the Met Police this afternoon
A woman reacts as she was detained by Met Police officers in central London on Saturday
Police surround activists with placards supporting Palestine Action on July 5, 2025 in London, England
She was previously arrested for allegedly attempting to damage the Magna Carta with Just Stop Oil, and for protest action with Insulate Britain.
Large crowds gathered outside the Court of Appeal
Hundreds of people protested against the ban
It came after Palestine Action lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday evening, which sought to stop it being banned, less than two hours before the move came into force at midnight.
Large crowds gathered outside the Court of Appeal yesterday in support of Palestine Action.
A Home Office spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We welcome the Court's decision and Palestine Action are now a proscribed group.
'The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.'
The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around £7 million of damage.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was 'disgraceful' and that the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'.
MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday.
Four people - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 - have all been charged in connection with the incident at Brize Norton.
(L-R) Jony Cink, 24, Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Lewie Chiaramello and Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 35, appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London
Each defendant is heavily involved in Palestine Action.
They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Protesters outside Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday waved Palestinian flags
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14877671/Met-Police-arrest-Palestine-Action-protesters-group-banned-terrorist-organisation.html
Activists holding Palestinian flags glue themselves to a truck to disrupt the Pride Parade in London
Police officers detain a 'Youth Demand' activist
Pro-Palestine protesters from Youth Demand throw red paint and glue themselves to the lead float
"Youth Demand" says that they stand 'unequivocally' with Palestine Action.
The group targeted the CISCO float as it passed through Piccadilly at around 12.30pm today
Police officers handcuff a 'Youth Demand' activist, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London
A 'Youth Demand' activist glues herself to a truck, on the day of the 2025 Pride Parade in London
The proposal to ban Palestine Action was approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier this week.
Currently, 81 organisations are already proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Hamas & al Qaida
Pro-Palestine protesters from Youth Demand throw red paint and glue themselves to the lead float during the annual Pride parade in London
The parade was delayed for about an hour while the protesters were removed and five people arrested
The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around £7 million of damage.
This is one of the RAF military planes that was vandalised at Brize Norton last month
Police arrest a Palestine Action activist
The Palestine Action group
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn supports Palestine Action
Diane Abbott, Labour Party MP, supported Palestine Action
Pro-Palestine MP Zarah Sultana announced she has quit Labour to join forces with Jeremy Corbyn in creating a new left-wing party
Ugly scenes break out as Palestine Action and police clash in Trafalgar Square
Palestine Action and police scuffle
Palestine Action scuffling with officers
Police officers scuffling in central London
Palestine Action protesters clash with police
Scuffles were seen regularly breaking out as police scrambled to restore order
Palestinian flags wave in the air in central London
Police remove a Palestine Action activist taking part in a demonstration at Trafalgar Square in London
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