Charity Amnesty International described the mass arrests under UK terrorism law as “deeply concerning”.
A woman is detained by police officers as supporters of Palestine Action take part in a mass action in Parliament Square, Westminster(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Some 365 people have been arrested for supporting banned group Palestine Action. A further five detained for assaulting police officers, after demonstrators gathered in central London.
Hundreds attended Saturday’s demonstration in Parliament Square, organised by Defend Our Juries. The Metropolitan Police said it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action.
In an update posted on X, Scotland Yard said 365 people had been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation as of 6pm.
A further seven arrests were made for other offences, including five for assaults on officers. None were seriously injured, the force added.
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The Met earlier said the detained protesters were taken to prisoner processing points in the Westminster area, and those whose details could be confirmed were bailed, with conditions not to attend any further protest in support of Palestine Action.
Those whose details were refused, or could not be verified, were taken to custody suites across London. Charity Amnesty International described the mass arrests under UK terrorism law as “deeply concerning”.
The crowd, sat on the grass inside Parliament Square, could be seen writing “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” on white placards at 1pm, with the vast majority remaining silent.
Other clusters of protesters who were not holding placards gathered around the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in the square singing pro-Palestinian chants.
Officers were holding individual demonstrators sat on the edge of the grass before escorting them through swelling crowds to police vans parked on the edge of the square.
A separate group of officers attended a protester lying next to the fenced-off Emmeline Pankhurst statue. They later began arresting protesters sat in the middle of Parliament Square.
The officers lifted the protesters – some sitting and some lying flat – off the ground before escorting them away. Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted “shame on you” at the police making arrests.
Protesters who were still sat in the middle of Parliament Square stood up together at 2pm and held their placards in the air. One person was also arrested at a separate Palestine Coalition march, which set off from Russell Square heading to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand.
The arrest was “for a placard showing support for Palestine Action”, Scotland Yard said. Membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000.