British police arrested 14 activists at a protest outside New Scotland Yard in London marking the first anniversary of the ban on pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action.
The protest on Sunday (July 5) was organized by campaign group “Defend Our Juries.” Participants distributed leaflets to police officers on duty calling on them to join Palestine Action.
The 14 were arrested under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act, which makes it an offense to express support for a proscribed organization. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment.
Among those arrested was Rev Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old Anglican priest and long-time peace activist.
“Defend Our Juries” said the protest marked the first anniversary of its “Saving Lives Is Not Terrorism” campaign. The group claimed more than 3,500 people have been arrested under terrorism-related laws since the campaign began.
A spokesperson for the group said the call for officers to join Palestine Action was satirical, but police treated it seriously and made the arrests under Section 12.
The spokesperson also accused the UK government of suppressing peaceful pro-Palestinian protest rather than investigating the UK-based operations of Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense contractor.
Metropolitan Police had not issued a formal statement on the incident at the time of publication.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report