More than 70 people arrested at protests supporting banned Palestine Action
More than 70 people have been arrested at demonstrations held against Palestine Action being proscribed as a terror group by the UK Government.
Protestors have gathered in cities across England and Wales after police reiterated that showing support for the group was a criminal offence.
42 people were arrested in London after crowds gathered for the second week in a row. A further 16 arrests were made in Manchester and 13 people were also held in Cardiff at other related demonstrations on Saturday.
In London, two groups of protesters gathered underneath both the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in Parliament Square for the demonstration shortly after 1pm.
The individuals then wrote the message 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' with black markers on pieces of cardboard, and silently held the signs aloft as they were surrounded by Metropolitan Police officers and members of the media.
Some demonstrators could be seen lying on top of each other on the floor as police searched their bags and took their ID cards and handmade signs.
Officers could then be seen carrying away a number of protesters who were lying down, lifting them off the ground and into waiting police vans parked around the square.
Other standing protesters were also led away from the statues and placed into the vans. The last of the protesters was lifted from the Nelson Mandela statue shortly after 2.30pm.
All but one of the 42 arrests were for showing support for a proscribed organisation, while one person was arrested for common assault, the Metropolitan Police said in a post on social media.
Greater Manchester Police said it had arrested 16 people under the Terrorism Act after responding to a protest in St Peter's Square, Manchester, at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
South Wales Police also confirmed 13 people were arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the same Act during a protest in the vicinity of Central Square, Cardiff.
In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said a 58-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of demonstrating support for Palestine Action in Leeds. He was interviewed at a police station before being released on bail.
Scotland Yard said its stance remains that officers will act where criminal offences, including support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed.
The force added that this includes ' chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos'.
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Police arrested 29 people at a similar protest in Parliament Square last weekend. They were detained for around 12 hours before being released on bail without charge, Defend Our Juries said.
The terror group designation means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The move to ban the organisation came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused about £7 million worth of damage.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action three days later, saying that the vandalism of the planes was 'disgraceful' and the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'.
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