UK Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Protesters Sparks Outrage
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – UK police arrested around 425 demonstrators in London on Saturday during a rally supporting Palestine Action, the anti-war group recently outlawed by the UK government under its so-called anti-terrorism laws.
The government banned Palestine Action in July after its activists targeted a Royal Air Force base and damaged warplanes used in Britain’s military operations. The group has also confronted arms manufacturers tied to Israel, slamming London for direct complicity in Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.
Saturday’s arrests came amid heavy-handed policing near parliament, where hundreds of protesters carried signs declaring, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
London’s Metropolitan Police claimed detainees faced charges ranging from “supporting a proscribed organization” to alleged assaults on officers. The force complained its personnel had been subjected to “punches, kicks, spitting and verbal abuse.”
By branding Palestine Action alongside groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS, the government criminalizes public support for it, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. Police had warned in advance that anyone expressing solidarity would face arrest.
Rights organizations have condemned the ban as a draconian measure that suppresses peaceful dissent and shields Israel from accountability. In recent weeks, authorities have detained hundreds of mostly elderly demonstrators, with over 500 arrests recorded in a single day last month.
UK insists the proscription is aimed at curbing “criminal damage,” but critics say the move exposes London’s alignment with Israel’s war machine. For many protesters, the arrests underscore how Britain fuels wars abroad while silencing voices calling for an end to bloodshed in Gaza.
