Arrests have begun in central London at the largest demonstration relating to Palestine Action since the group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation.
The Metropolitan police said they had drawn officers from other forces to help form a “significant policing presence” in the capital as it faces a busy weekend of protests.
By Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Parliament Square for a demonstration organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries.
Protesters have previously held up placards supporting the proscribed group in Parliament Square. Defend Our Juries announced earlier this week that today’s events would go ahead despite police warnings.
The ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Before the protest, a Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary has been clear that the proscription of Palestine Action is not about Palestine, nor does it affect the freedom to protest on Palestinian rights.
“It only applies to the specific and narrow organisation whose activities do not reflect or represent the thousands of people across the country who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to protest on different issues. Freedom to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and we protect it fiercely.”
The latest protest comes days after the first three people to be charged with supporting the group in England and Wales were named.
Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration last month.
More than 200 people have been arrested in the wave of Defend Our Juries protests across the UK since the ban was implemented by the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, last month.
The Met deputy assistant commissioner, Ade Adelekan, said: “The Met is very experienced at dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality, requiring arrests. While we will not go into the specific details of our plan, the public can be assured that we will have the resources and processes in place to respond to any eventuality.
“Anyone showing support for Palestine Action can expect to be arrested. I would once again urge people to consider the seriousness of that outcome. An arrest under the Terrorism Act can have very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances. Also, as we have seen this week, it is very likely an arrest in these circumstances will lead to a charge.”
Two unconnected marches organised by the Palestine Coalition and the pro-Israeli group Stop the Hate, respectively, will also be held on consecutive days in central London. The coalition’s supporters will march from Russell Square to Whitehall followed by an assembly with speeches.
