Aaj TV English News - World https://english.aaj.tv/ Aaj TV English en-Us Copyright 2026 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:32:10 +0500 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:32:10 +0500 60 London police arrest hundreds at protest against ban on Palestine Action https://english.aaj.tv/news/330437822/london-police-arrest-hundreds-at-protest-against-ban-on-palestine-action <p><strong>London police arrested hundreds of protesters for supporting a banned pro-Palestinian group at a demonstration on Saturday, which went ahead despite requests to call it off after a deadly attack at a synagogue in Manchester.</strong></p> <p>Organisers refused requests by the police and government to call off Saturday’s demonstration, which had been announced before the attack, to protest against the banning of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws.</p> <h2><a id="starmer-calls-for-calm" href="#starmer-calls-for-calm" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" title="Permalink"></a>STARMER CALLS FOR CALM</h2> <p>Calling for calm on X on Saturday morning, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews.”</p> <center><p><a href="https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va8czsoLNSZzP877bA0I"> <img src="https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/09/041745569b68024.webp" alt="AAJ News Whatsapp" width="728" height="90"> <p></a></p></center></p> <p>“This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain. It is a time to stand together,” he said.</p> <p> <figure class='media sm:w-full w-full media--stretch '> <div class='media__item '><picture><img src='https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/10/05091117c74b1d2.webp' alt='Police officers detain a protester during a mass demonstration against the British government&rsquo;s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. &ndash; Reuters' /></picture></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '>Police officers detain a protester during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters</figcaption> </figure></p> <p>Police arrested protesters in Trafalgar Square in central London as they wrote slogans on placards declaring support for Palestine Action, which was proscribed in July after members broke into an airbase and damaged military planes.</p> <p>As of 1730 GMT, police said 442 people had been arrested – around half the number arrested at a similar protest in September.</p> <p> <figure class='media sm:w-full w-full media--stretch '> <div class='media__item '><picture><img src='https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/10/0509112421e9e87.webp' alt='A protester holds a sign during a mass demonstration against the British government&rsquo;s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. &ndash; Reuters' /></picture></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '>A protester holds a sign during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters</figcaption> </figure></p> <p>Crowds of more than 1,000 applauded and cheered those arrested as they were carried through the crowd by police without resisting. Onlookers chanted “shame on you” at officers.</p> <p>“I’m disgusted by the police, actually, they shouldn’t be arresting non-violent protesters here,” said protester Angie Zelter.</p> <p>“We have a right to protest and Palestine Action is not a violent organisation; it should never have been proscribed in the first place.”</p> <p> <figure class='media sm:w-full w-full media--stretch '> <div class='media__item '><picture><img src='https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/10/05091131d7ce127.webp' alt='Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government&rsquo;s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. &ndash; Reuters' /></picture></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '>Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters</figcaption> </figure></p> <p>Six people were arrested separately after unfurling a Palestine Action banner on Westminster Bridge outside parliament.</p> <h2><a id="series-of-protests" href="#series-of-protests" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" title="Permalink"></a>SERIES OF PROTESTS</h2> <p>The demonstration is the latest in a series of protests, during which hundreds have been arrested for defying the ban, which makes it an offence to show support for Palestine Action.</p> <p> <figure class='media sm:w-full w-full media--stretch '> <div class='media__item '><picture><img src='https://i.aaj.tv/large/2025/10/050911388e8f16c.webp' alt='Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government&rsquo;s ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London. &ndash; Reuters' /></picture></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '>Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters</figcaption> </figure></p> <p>Police said Saturday’s protests would draw resources away from security they have tightened around synagogues and mosques following Thursday’s attack.</p> <p>Defend Our Juries, which organised Saturday’s protest, has condemned the attack on the Jewish community in Manchester, and urged police to focus on that, not policing the demonstration.</p> London police arrested hundreds of protesters for supporting a banned pro-Palestinian group at a demonstration on Saturday, which went ahead despite requests to call it off after a deadly attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

Organisers refused requests by the police and government to call off Saturday’s demonstration, which had been announced before the attack, to protest against the banning of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws.

STARMER CALLS FOR CALM

Calling for calm on X on Saturday morning, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews.”

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“This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain. It is a time to stand together,” he said.

Police officers detain a protester during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters
Police officers detain a protester during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters

Police arrested protesters in Trafalgar Square in central London as they wrote slogans on placards declaring support for Palestine Action, which was proscribed in July after members broke into an airbase and damaged military planes.

As of 1730 GMT, police said 442 people had been arrested – around half the number arrested at a similar protest in September.

A protester holds a sign during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters
A protester holds a sign during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters

Crowds of more than 1,000 applauded and cheered those arrested as they were carried through the crowd by police without resisting. Onlookers chanted “shame on you” at officers.

“I’m disgusted by the police, actually, they shouldn’t be arresting non-violent protesters here,” said protester Angie Zelter.

“We have a right to protest and Palestine Action is not a violent organisation; it should never have been proscribed in the first place.”

Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters
Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters

Six people were arrested separately after unfurling a Palestine Action banner on Westminster Bridge outside parliament.

SERIES OF PROTESTS

The demonstration is the latest in a series of protests, during which hundreds have been arrested for defying the ban, which makes it an offence to show support for Palestine Action.

Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters
Protesters hold signs during a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London. – Reuters

Police said Saturday’s protests would draw resources away from security they have tightened around synagogues and mosques following Thursday’s attack.

Defend Our Juries, which organised Saturday’s protest, has condemned the attack on the Jewish community in Manchester, and urged police to focus on that, not policing the demonstration.

]]> World https://english.aaj.tv/news/330437822 Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:21:43 +0500 none@none.com (Reuters) People attend a mass demonstration against the British government’s ban on Palestine Action group at Trafalgar Square, in London. – Reuters