More than 100 arrested in London as court upholds Palestine Action ban

More than a hundred people have been arrested in central London on suspicion of supporting a banned group, police have confirmed.

Some 117 people were detained before the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday; here, judges ruled that it was legal to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist group.

Protesters were seen being led away by police officers; Some of them held banners reading “I support Palestine Action.”

In court, five Court of Appeal judges said the band’s ban, which began on July 5 last year, was a “justified and proportionate” interference with free expression rights.

Monday’s ruling overturned a decision by three Supreme Court justices; The judge ruled in February that then-interior minister Yvette Cooper’s decision to ban Palestine Action was unlawful, following a legal challenge from the group’s co-founder Huda Ammori.

The ban made membership of or support for a direct action group an offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison, and remained in force when the Home Office tried to appeal the decision.

Among the protesters escorted or taken away by the police was an elderly woman wearing a dark blue apron with the words “retired doctor” written on her chest.

A Met Police spokesman said: “We accept the Court of Appeal’s decision that the Home Secretary’s decision to ban Palestine Action was lawful.

“This means supporting the organization remains a criminal offense and officers will arrest those who break the law.

“Today, Monday 15 June, officers policing a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice arrested 117 people on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation.”

Since Palestine Action was banned, more than 3,000 people have been arrested by the Met on suspicion of supporting the group.

Two more people were arrested by the City of London Police during a protest outside the Old Bailey on Monday.