Cost of policing summer protests across London revealed

• Policing protests in London is estimated to cost the Metropolitan Police at least £10 million this month, it has been revealed, ahead of a major rally supporting Palestine Action.
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan stated that anyone showing support for Palestine Action, a banned group, will be arrested under the Terrorism Act, with the Met having sufficient resources for mass arrests.
• Over 500 people were arrested at a similar protest in August, leading to a street bail system, and the Met warns that attempts to overwhelm policing will fail.
• Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation in July after claiming responsibility for damaging two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton, making support for the group a criminal offence.
• Protest organisers, Defend Our Juries, have urged Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley not to arrest peaceful protesters, highlighting that other police forces have not made such arrests.

IN FULL

Policing protests will cost Met £10m this month as chief says they have ‘no choice’ but to arrest Palestine Action supporters