On Saturday, August 9, a unprecedented large-scale pro-Palestine protest erupted in Parliament Square in London, United Kingdom. According to the newly enacted “Anti-Terrorism Act,” police arrested over 466 demonstrators, setting a record for the highest number of arrests in a single day in at least a decade.
The demonstration was initiated by “Defend Our Juries” to protest the UK government’s classification of “Palestine Action” as a terrorist organization. Protesters accused the authorities of disregarding freedom of speech and the right to protest.
Protesters on the scene wore black and white Palestinian scarves, waved flags, shouted “Hands off Gaza,” and held banners saying, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Due to the alleged support for illegal organizations, the police immediately launched a dispersal operation. Video footage showed a large number of demonstrators being carried away by the police in Parliament Square, while the crowd shouted “Shame on you” at the authorities.
British police stated on X that they had arrested 466 people during the protest for allegedly supporting Palestine Action. Additionally, 5 individuals were arrested for attacking officers, 2 for public order offenses, and 1 for aggravated racial crimes. No one was seriously injured at the scene.
Palestine Action has been controversial recently for using radical methods to protest military cooperation between the UK and Israel, making them a focal point of public opinion. The group claims to expose and prevent war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, but their actions have repeatedly involved trespassing on military facilities, damaging property, and sparking legal controversies.
In July, British Members of Parliament designated “Palestine Action” as an illegal organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act, accusing some members of the group of trespassing on an air force base and damaging aircraft during protests. In response, the group accused the UK government of tolerating war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
According to the ban, joining the Palestine Action organization is considered a criminal offense and can result in a maximum sentence of 14 years. However, Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the organization, was granted permission by the court last week to challenge this ban.
Israel has been accused by the International Court and several human rights organizations of engaging in ethnic cleansing in Gaza during its military operation against remnants of Hamas, ignoring humanitarian aid. Israel has denied these allegations, emphasizing that the military operation was a retaliatory measure against Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Despite Israel’s recent increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, various reports and analyses suggest that these efforts are not enough to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in the region.