Jakarta, ThedailyID — London police arrested 139 people during a demonstration supporting Palestine Action, an organization banned under UK terrorism laws.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests in a post on X on Saturday, October 31. Police said officers made most of the arrests after protesters allegedly expressed support for the banned organization.
“139 people have been arrested. Most arrests were made for showing support for a proscribed organization,” the police said, according to reports by Al Jazeera.
The protest took place in London as demonstrators challenged the British government’s decision to ban Palestine Action.
Defend Our Juries, the group that organized the demonstration, criticized the arrests. The organization said authorities have detained more than 4,000 people for supporting Palestine Action since July of last year.
“It is horrifying that more than 4,000 arrests have now taken place under terrorism legislation for peaceful action,” a spokesperson for the group said.
The spokesperson argued that protesters were expressing opposition to the war and showing support for Palestine Action. The group also criticized the British government’s decision to classify the organization under terrorism laws.
British authorities banned Palestine Action in July of last year during the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The designation makes public support for the organization subject to restrictions under the country’s terrorism legislation.
Critics and pro-Palestinian activists have challenged the decision. They argue that the designation could restrict political expression and silence pro-Palestinian voices in the United Kingdom.
The arrests in London came during a mass demonstration against the ban. Protesters carried signs that read, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
A separate demonstration also took place outside the United States consulate in Edinburgh, Scotland. Authorities had not reported any arrests there at the time of the report.
The latest protest highlights the continuing debate over the British government’s decision to ban Palestine Action. It has also renewed questions about the balance between national security laws and the right to political protest.
