Amnesty advices law enforcement restraint before London protest about Palestine Action prohibition

(MENAFN) Amnesty International UK has urged the Metropolitan Police to exercise restraint and avoid mass arrests of peaceful protesters supporting the recently banned group Palestine Action ahead of a large demonstration in London this Saturday.

Organized by the activist group Defend Our Juries, the protest is expected to attract hundreds of participants. Since Palestine Action was banned on July 5 under the Terrorism Act, over 200 people across the UK have been arrested for displaying slogans like "I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action."

Police have warned they may detain hundreds more during the upcoming protest, with prison officials preparing for a potential surge in detainees following a “capacity gold demand” from the justice ministry.

Amnesty UK’s Chief Executive, Sacha Deshmukh, wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley, urging officers to respect international human rights laws and allow peaceful protesters to express themselves without fear of punishment. He emphasized that arresting individuals on terrorism charges for peacefully holding placards violates freedom of expression and assembly.

The letter points out that, under international law, protest speech should only be criminalized if it incites violence, serious property damage, hatred, or discrimination—none of which apply to peaceful demonstrations.

Amnesty also noted the High Court’s decision to grant a full hearing on a judicial review challenging the ban, stating that the legal basis for arrests under the Terrorism Act is now questionable. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism have also criticized the UK’s ban and are involved in the judicial process.

Defend Our Juries has led peaceful protests in Westminster since the ban’s implementation, with Saturday’s event expected to draw up to 500 demonstrators openly defying the restrictions. Amnesty called on police to facilitate rather than suppress peaceful assembly.

The government banned Palestine Action after activists spray-painted planes at an RAF base earlier this year, an incident now investigated under counter-terrorism laws. The ban was approved by both the House of Commons and House of Lords in July.

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