By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - The controversy surrounding the UK government's decision to ban the direct action group Palestine Action intensified, as police warned of mass arrests if a planned protest goes ahead this weekend in central London.
The Metropolitan Police reportedly said they would enforce terrorism laws and arrest anyone found breaking them during Saturday’s demonstration, while Downing Street issued a strong appeal for people to stay away.
Previously, the UN human rights chief has criticized the UK government's ban on Palestine Action, describing it as a "disturbing" misuse of counter-terrorism laws.
Volker Türk called on the government to revoke the ban, saying the move was "disproportionate and unnecessary."
The protest, organized by the campaign group Defend Our Juries, is expected to bring around 1,000 participants to Westminster.
The group has encouraged demonstrators to hold signs reading: “I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action.”
The protest comes in the wake of over 200 arrests made following the ban of Palestine Action last month.
Metropolitan Police on Monday voiced concern over the protest’s potential impact on the already overstretched criminal justice system:
"Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested. We are aware that the organizers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system," said a spokesperson.
“The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests. Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription. Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.”
The protest and the growing backlash come amid broader concerns about civil liberties and freedom of expression in the UK, particularly when it comes to expressing solidarity with Palestine.
A legal bid to challenge the government's decision to list Palestine Action as a terrorist group can go ahead, the UK High Court ruled last week.
The High Court has granted permission to Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, to bring a full judicial review against the order of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, banning the group as a terrorist organization.
In June, Cooper announced a ban under the Terrorism Act 2000 after activists spray-painted planes at a Royal Air Force base, an act being investigated under counter-terrorism laws.
Later, the ban was passed in the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier this month.
Meanwhile, around 300 prominent left-leaning Jewish figures—including renowned film director Mike Leigh and author Michael Rosen—issued a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday condemning the ban as “illegitimate and unethical.”