At least 365 persons were detained on Saturday by police in London for a deliberate violation of the new law, which banned the support of the Palestine Action Propalestine group. This was announced in the evening by the police, reports TASR, according to AP and PA Media.
Palestine Action supporters have been organizing a series of protests since July after the United Kingdom after Parliament voted on the ban on this group and public speeches to support it. MEPs banned the group as a terrorist organization after its activists entered the air base and damaged two aircraft.
Protests and freedom of expression
The protesters argue that the new law disproportionately limits freedom of expression. On Saturday they met at the square near Parliament and dozens of them carried the inscriptions “I’m against genocide. I support Palestine Action”.
The London Metropolitan police said that, in addition to 365 detainees for the support of the banned group, seven other people ended up in bonds for other violations of the law, five of them for attacking police officers.
Penalties and new rules
According to the police, the detained protesters whose personal data could be confirmed by the police were released on condition that they do not participate in any further protest in support of Palestine Action. On the basis of the Act on the Fight against Terrorism, it is a membership in this group or its support for a criminal offense for which there is a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
The ban on Palestine Action was initiated by Interior Minister Yvette Cooper after the June Activist Activist Activist event at Brize Norton Air Base in Southern England, which was aimed at protesting British support for Israel in the war with the Hamas militant movement.
Legal challenges of activists
Group followers challenged a ban in court with the argument that the British government went too far as the Palestine Action was a terrorist organization. “As soon as the meaning of the term ‘terrorism’ is separated from violent attacks against the civilian population and spread to include those who cause economic damage or inconvenience to rich, powerful and criminals, then freedom of expression is of no significance and democracy is dead,” said Defend Our Juries.
War in the Gaza Strip and concern about immigration are encouraged by protests and anti -emonities in the United Kingdom, writes AP. On Sunday, several groups announced marches in the center of London for the safe release of Israeli hostages, whose Palestinian militants had been dragged into Gaza in an attack on Israel from October 7, 2023.
The British police are also preparing for protests in front of hotels around the country that they use to accommodate asylum seekers.
