London Police Arrest 466 at Protest Supporting Banned Palestine Action Group

London's Metropolitan Police arrested 466 individuals on Saturday during a protest in Parliament Square against the UK's recent ban on the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action. The demonstration, organized by Defend Our Juries, saw participants holding placards expressing support for the group, which was proscribed under anti-terrorism legislation in July.

The ban followed incidents where members of Palestine Action damaged military aircraft at a Royal Air Force base. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, membership in or support for the group is now a criminal offense, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

In addition to the 466 arrests for supporting a proscribed organization, police detained eight individuals for other offenses, including five for assaults on officers. No serious injuries were reported.

Amnesty International UK criticized the arrests, stating they were "a violation of the UK's international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly."

Last week, Palestine Action's co-founder, Huda Ammori, was granted permission to challenge the ban through a judicial review.