London police detained 29 protesters in Parliament Square on Saturday under terrorism laws, hours after the UK government banned the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action. The demonstrators, including an 83-year-old priest, health workers, and academics held cardboard signs stating: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” The Metropolitan Police confirmed arrests were made for suspected offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, which now classifies support for the group as a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
In a striking show of defiance, activists gathered silently beneath the Mahatma Gandhi statue, flanked by a heavy police presence. Within minutes, officers began detaining participants, with one woman carried away in handcuffs while declaring, “I support freedom of speech, I support freedom of assembly.” Bystanders shouted, “Met Police, you are puppets of the Zionist state!” and “British police off our streets!”, reflecting widespread outrage over the crackdown.
The government’s ban followed Palestine Action’s June 20 raid on RAF Brize Norton, where activists sprayed red paint on two military aircraft, causing £7 million in damage. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the act as “disgraceful,” justifying the terror designation by citing the group’s “history of criminal damage.” Four members face conspiracy charges, while a late court bid to block the ban failed Friday night.
UN experts and rights groups slammed the ban as authoritarian, noting it marks the first time a direct-action protest group has been proscribed alongside armed organizations like ISIS. UN special rapporteurs stressed that property damage alone does not constitute terrorism under international law and warned the move criminalizes legitimate dissent. Critics, including author Sally Rooney, labeled it “grotesque” to equate spray paint with suicide bombs, arguing it aims to silence solidarity with Gaza amid Israel’s assault, which has killed over 57,000 Palestinians.