Politics · Malaysia Bureau
UK police arrest 325 at Palestine Action demonstration near US Embassy
British police arrested over 300 demonstrators during a mass protest outside the US Embassy in London. The action occurred as a legal challenge proceeded against the government's move to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
LSN Malaysia ·
Police in the United Kingdom arrested 325 people during a demonstration organised by Palestine Action outside the US Embassy in central London. The protest, described as a 'mass action' by organisers, took place amid an ongoing legal battle over the government's decision to proscribe the group under counter-terrorism legislation.
The arrests followed what police described as unauthorised gatherings at the embassy location. Demonstrators had assembled to voice opposition to US foreign policy and to coincide with a Supreme Court hearing examining the legality of the government's ban on Palestine Action.
Palestine Action, an activist group that has conducted various protests and demonstrations related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was designated as a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act. The group has challenged this designation in court, arguing that the ban violates its rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
The mass arrests highlight the tension between protest rights and public order concerns in the UK. Authorities have faced scrutiny over the application of counter-terrorism powers against protest movements, with civil liberties advocates questioning whether such measures are appropriately deployed against activist groups.
The Supreme Court hearing represents a significant test of the government's authority to proscribe organisations under anti-terrorism laws and the scope of permitted political protest in the United Kingdom.