Almost 900 people were arrested during a mass protest in Westminster organised by Defend Our Juries in support of the proscribed terror group Palestine Action.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 890 arrests were made on Saturday, the vast majority for offences under the Terrorism Act. Officers also detained dozens of others after violence broke out, including assaults on police.
A total of 857 people were arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for showing support for Palestine Action. A further 33 arrests were made for other offences, including 17 for assaulting officers.
As part of a policing plan put in place ahead of the demonstration, all those arrested were taken to a prisoner reception point in Westminster. Those who gave their details were released on bail to return to a police station at a later date.
Protesters who refused to provide their details, and those already on bail when arrested, were transported to Metropolitan Police custody suites. No custody suites outside London were required. In total, 341 people were dealt with at the reception point, while 519 were taken into custody for Terrorism Act offences.
The Met confirmed that all 857 individuals arrested under the Terrorism Act will now be investigated by its Counter Terrorism Command. The force said it has been working with the Crown Prosecution Service in recent weeks to speed up charging decisions in such cases.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart, who led the policing operation, praised officers for their professionalism.
She said: “I’d like to thank all officers involved in yesterday’s operation for their professionalism and tireless work despite the level of abuse that they faced.
“The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.
“The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark. You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.
“We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.”
