Dozens Arrested at UK Protests Backing Banned Group

Police arrested over 40 people in London's Parliament Square, along with additional arrests in Manchester and Cardiff, for supporting the recently banned activist group Palestine Action, now classified as a terrorist organization under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000 following vandalism of military planes at RAF Brize Norton. Most arrests were for supporting a proscribed group, with one individual detained for assault. The ban equates Palestine Action with groups like Hamas and ISIS and carries prison sentences of up to 14 years. Protests, organized by Defend Our Juries, saw demonstrators silently holding signs before police intervention. Rights groups and campaigners have criticized the government’s response as an attack on civil liberties and freedom of expression. Authorities have warned that any form of support for Palestine Action is now a criminal offense, and a previous protest last week resulted in 29 arrests.