Cracking Down: The Ban on Palestine Action Sparks Controversy
British police arrested 150 people at a demonstration supporting Palestine Action, which was banned by the government as a terrorist organization. The crackdown follows the group's attack on an RAF base and its targeting of defense firms tied to Israel. Human rights groups criticize the ban as limiting protesters' freedom of expression.
British authorities detained approximately 150 demonstrators on Saturday, further intensifying their crackdown on supporters of Palestine Action, a group recently outlawed as a terrorist organization by the UK government. This ban, enacted in July, came after activists infiltrated a Royal Air Force base, causing damage to military aircraft.
Palestine Action, known for targeting defense entities linked to Israel, accuses the British government of aiding what it claims are Israel's war crimes in Gaza. The recent arrests are part of an ongoing series of detentions, with over 500 individuals apprehended last month, many of them senior citizens.
The recent protest near the UK Parliament saw demonstrators wielding placards denouncing genocide and voicing support for Palestine Action. London's police reported offenses ranging from supporting a proscribed group to assaulting officers, amidst calls from human rights groups for proportionality in handling peaceful expressions of dissent.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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