UK authorities have announced plans to prosecute an additional 60 individuals for supporting Palestine Action, a group recently designated as a terrorist organization. Since the ban in early July, over 700 people have been arrested, including 522 during a protest last weekend in London. Reports indicate that half of those arrested are over 60 years old. The arrests have drawn criticism from political figures such as Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey, who called for a review of the terrorism law used in these cases, citing concerns over freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest. Meanwhile, protests have continued, including demonstrations near the Britannia Hotel in London following the arrest of an asylum seeker, where police engaged with protesters and made additional arrests. Activists affiliated with Palestine Action, such as the group known as the Filton 18, remain detained without trial, prompting calls from families for their immediate release. The situation has raised debates over law enforcement's approach to protests and the application of counterterrorism legislation in the UK.
'Anyone who believes in those traditional British values of freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest should be worried' Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey told #BBCBreakfast why he's called for a review of the terrorism law used to arrest hundreds of supporters of https://t.co/G6mLCcQRIk
🇬🇧 How Can This Go On? ▫Exclusive: Scottish activists on terror charges have court dates axed ▫@xanderescribe ▫https://t.co/hDVrtdZ4k3 #frontpagestoday #UK @ScotNational https://t.co/Nm2BGtuDMb
If you hold a placard saying you support Palestine Action, you get arrested. If you hold a banner saying 'Kill 'Em All' outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, the police look the other way…. https://t.co/02tD1BFxQ9