Gaza Herald – In a move widely condemned as an assault on civil liberties, UK authorities arrested more than 20 individuals on Saturday during a peaceful demonstration in Parliament Square, held in solidarity with Palestine Action, a direct-action group newly labeled a terrorist organization by the UK government.
The protest, organized by the advocacy group Protect the Jury, unfolded under the shadow of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue near Westminster, where demonstrators quietly raised banners reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” Among the detained were retired clergy, academics, and healthcare professionals.
According to London’s Metropolitan Police, the arrests began at approximately 1:40 p.m., citing violations under the Terrorism Act 2000. In a statement published on X, the police emphasized their intention to pursue legal action against anyone supporting what is now a proscribed group.
The police action drew sharp rebuke from protest organizers. In a statement laced with irony, a spokesperson for Protect the Jury remarked, “We commend the counter-terrorism units for responding so promptly to paper banners opposing genocide in Gaza.”
Activists had formally notified Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley of their intention to hold a peaceful protest in advance. Still, police proceeded with mass arrests, including 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, who told reporters the ban marked a “dangerous step” threatening basic civil liberties.
Tim Crossley, one of the protest participants, told The Guardian prior to his arrest: “We are here to say that we will not be silenced. Supporting justice for Palestinians has now been criminalized—a descent into madness.”
The UK’s decision to outlaw Palestine Action follows the group’s symbolic vandalism of British military aircraft involved in arms shipments to Israel. The House of Commons passed the proscription order last Wednesday, with the House of Lords approving it without objection the next day.
The move has provoked a storm of criticism. UN experts, legal scholars, cultural figures, and human rights organizations have decried the designation as disproportionate and dangerous. Critics argue that it paves the way for governments to equate peaceful protest with extremism.
By placing Palestine Action on the same legal footing as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and National Action, the UK becomes the first country to classify a nonviolent protest movement as a terrorist organization under its terrorism laws.
The arrests come amid growing global outrage over Israel’s war on Gaza and increasing efforts to silence dissent against it—even in liberal democracies.
