Four arrests outside Parliament as Palestine Action protests against its ban
The Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Thousands protesting outside Downing Street now to oppose the proscription of @Pal_action and defend the right to protest. 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/T64rQVNrK6
— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) July 2, 2025
The move, which also has to be considered by the House of Lords, would make it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to be a member of the direct action group or to support it.
Outside of Parliament, the police imposed Public Order Act conditions aimed at limiting the protest to an area off Whitehall.
'Public Order Act conditions had been imposed to prevent serious disruption, requiring anyone taking part in the protest to assemble on Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall,' a spokesperson for the force said.
One woman, who identified herself as Emma Kamio to the PA news agency, appeared to use the protest technique known as 'locking on' to cause an obstruction outside of Carriage Gates, one of the entrances to the parliamentary estate.
Her daughter Leona Kamio was among a group of pro-Palestine protesters who have appeared in court to deny breaking into the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm with sledgehammers, causing £1 million of damage.
BREAKING: Despite a protest ban outside Parliament, Emma Kamio, mother of a Palestine Action prisoner, is locked on outside to oppose the proscription of Palestine Action.
Her daughter has been in prison on remand since August 2024 for destroying Israeli weapons worth £millions. pic.twitter.com/JHGb7xThfW
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) July 2, 2025
Police were seen speaking to Ms Kamio as she sat on the pavement outside Parliament with her arm inside what appeared to be a suitcase.
Listing the four arrests, a Met spokesperson said a woman 'who locked herself onto a suitcase outside the gates of Parliament' was among them for 'breaching the conditions and for being in possession of articles intended for locking on'.
'A man who was with her and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions,' they added.
The spokesman also said: 'A man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions.'
A fourth man was arrested for 'breaching conditions' of the demonstration, according to the Met.
A larger than usual number of officers could be seen in the area around Parliament.
The Met said the 'significant policing presence in the vicinity of Parliament' was because of its 'responsibility to take action to prevent serious disruption to the life of the community', including by ensuring MPs 'can go about their business free from intimidation or unreasonable interference'.
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An internal report by Safe Reach Solutions, the logistics company subcontracted by GHF to run the sites, found that aid seekers were injured during 31% of the distributions that took place in a two-week period in June. The report did not specify the number of injuries or the cause. SRS told the AP the report refers to non-serious injuries. More videos show frenzied scenes of Palestinians running to collect leftover food boxes at one site. Hundreds of young men crowd near low metal barriers, transferring food from boxes to bags while contractors on the other side of the barriers tell them to stay back. Some Palestinians wince and cough from pepper spray. 'You tasting that pepper spray? Yuck,' one man close to the camera can be heard saying in English. SRS acknowledged that it's dealing with large, hungry populations, but said the environment is secure, controlled, and ensures people can get the aid they need safely.
