UPDATE 2 - London rally urges government to drop ban on Palestine Action as more than 300 arrested

UPDATES WITH ARRESTS; REVISES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Some 300 protesters have been arrested during a London demonstration in support of the banned activist group Palestine Action, the police said Saturday.

"Around 300 arrests have now been made at the protest in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Palestine Action," Metropolitan Police posted on US social media company X.

It added: "The police operation is continuing, and we will provide further updates."

Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square, where demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and signs while chanting: "Over 100,000 dead and you are arresting us instead" and "Resisting genocide is not a crime."

Some banners read "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" and "It’s not a crime to act against genocide."

As of 8.30 pm local time (1930GMT), police officers continued arresting protesters as around 1,500 were estimated to be taking part – up from the 1,000 that had been expected for the protest.

The Defend Our Juries group wrote on X that one of the arrested is Mike Higgins, a blind activist in a wheelchair.

In a similar protest last month, police detained more than 500 people.

Palestine Action was banned in July under the UK’s Terrorism Act, a decision that has led to the arrests of hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters for holding signs or showing support for the group.

The demonstration took place as the ongoing genocide in Gaza is nearly two years old. Israel’s military offensive has killed over 64,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities, leaving the enclave facing famine conditions.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.