LONDON (Reuters) -London’s police force said on Saturday that officers had arrested 41 people who had expressed support for the banned group Palestine Action at a protest outside parliament.
British lawmakers proscribed the group under anti-terrorism legislation earlier this month after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged planes in protest against Britain’s support for Israel.
“Officers have made 41 arrests for showing support for a proscribed organisation. One person has been arrested for common assault,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement on social media about the demonstration.
After a similar protest in London last week, police arrested 29 people.
Police also made arrests at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action in Manchester. Other protests took place in Cardiff and in Northern Ireland.
Before Saturday’s arrests in London, close to 50 protesters had gathered with placards saying “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action” near a statue of former South African President Nelson Mandela outside the British parliament.
The International Court of Justice in the Hague is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in the conflict in Gaza, which began after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has repeatedly denied committing abuses.
The British government’s decision to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist group places it in the same category as Hamas, al-Qaeda and ISIS. Membership now carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Opponents of the ban say using anti-terrorism laws is inappropriate against a group focused on civil disobedience.
Palestine Action generally targeted Israeli and Israel-linked businesses in Britain such as defence company Elbit Systems, often spraying red paint, blocking entrances or damaging equipment
In an unsuccessful court appeal against the ban, a lawyer for Palestine Action said the government ban was the first time Britain had proscribed a group which undertook this type of direct action.
(Reporting by Isabel InfantesAdditional reporting by Temilade Adelaja in ManchesterWriting by David MillikenEditing by Peter Graff)
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