London police arrested 890 people on September 6 at a rally in support of the pro-Palestinian movement „Action in Palestine“, which is on the list of banned organisations in the UK, Scotland Yard said in a statement.
„A total of 857 people were arrested under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for expressing support for Palestine Action, 33 people were arrested for other offences, including 17 arrests for assaulting police officers“, the statement said.
Supporters of Palestine Action protest against the ban on the movement from two months. During that time, about 1,500 people have been arrested at demonstrations in support of the organization. The Crown Prosecution Service has so far charged about 120 activists with violating the Terrorism Act. Most of them face up to six months in prison. Authorities have warned that a conviction under the anti-terrorism law could also make it harder to find a job or attend university.
The demonstration in central London on September 6 was the largest rally in support of „Action on Palestine“ to date, with about 1,000 participants. Supporters of the movement have previously said they intend to continue the protests to overload the UK's judicial system and force the authorities to lift the ban.
On July 5, the „Action on Palestine“ was added to the list of banned organisations in the UK. Membership of the organisation, participation in its meetings and any form of support for its activities became a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for this is 14 years imprisonment.