Mass Arrests and Police Violence Against Peaceful Demonstrators
London’s Metropolitan Police arrested over 150 protesters in Parliament Square on Saturday under the UK’s Terrorism Act, targeting largely elderly and disabled citizens holding handwritten signs stating, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”. The demonstration, organized by Defend Our Juries (DOJ), saw officers physically carrying away wheelchair users, octogenarians, and blind activists while facing chants of “Met Police, pick a side, justice or genocide” from crowds. Videos verified by Al Jazeera showed police drawing batons, shoving elderly protesters to the ground, and bleeding activists being detained behind barriers. The Met claimed officers endured “exceptional abuse,” but protesters accused them of violent overreach, noting that arrests began within 15 minutes of the protest’s peaceful start.
Political Context of the Ban and Its Legal Challenges
The Conservative government proscribed Palestine Action in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000, equating the group with al-Qaeda and ISIS despite its focus on non-violent property damage targeting arms manufacturers like Elbit Systems. The ban, triggered by a June 2025 action where activists caused £7 million in damage to RAF Brize Norton planes carries penalties of up to 14 years for expressions of support. Critics argue the move is politically motivated to silence opposition to UK complicity in Israeli war crimes, with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (now Foreign Secretary) ignoring warnings that the ban violates the European Convention on Human Rights. A High Court judicial review scheduled for November 2025 may overturn the proscription, with Judge Martin Chamberlain noting it “disproportionately interfered” with rights to free expression and assembly.
Humanitarian Focus and Protesters’ Motivations
Protesters emphasized their opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, with 83-year-old retired priest Sue Parfitt stating, “We’re called terrorists, and it’s absolutely stupid”. Mike Higgins, a blind 62-year-old wheelchair user arrested in both August and September, asked, “What choice do I have? Nothing is being done about the genocide other than us”. The demonstrations reflect widespread public anger: A YouGov poll shows 55% of Britons oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered the UK to prevent plausible genocide. Despite this, the UK continues supplying F-35 jet parts to Israel, fueling claims of hypocrisy.
Police Dissent and Institutional Crisis
Met officers expressed deep discomfort with enforcing the ban, with one telling Novara Media they felt “ashamed and sick” after arresting disabled protesters. Another confessed to detainees, “This is not the work I came into the police to be doing”. The Police Federation warned of officer burnout, noting there are “no ‘extra’ officers” for these protests while burglaries and other crimes go unaddressed. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers privately called the proscription “an abuse of terror laws,” adding that challenging ministers would be “career suicide”. This internal dissent highlights the ban’s unpopularity even among state institutions.
Global Criticism and Authoritarian Precedents
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the ban as “out of step with comparable liberal democracies” and warned it risks “hindering legitimate fundamental freedoms”. Amnesty International’s Kerry Moscogiuri called the arrests “genuinely shocking,” noting that “criminalizing speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence”. Legal experts fear the precedent could target climate activists, trade unions, and racial justice groups next. The ban reflects a broader authoritarian shift in UK policy, following the 2023 Policing Act that allows restrictions on “noisy” protests and the 2005 detention of Holocaust survivor Walter Wolfgang for heckling over Iraq.