More than 20 arrests at protest in support of Palestine Action after UK ban comes into effect
The protest in Parliament Square came hours after the pro-Palestinian activist group was banned in Britain under anti-terrorism laws.
The group lost a last-minute court battle late Friday seeking to block the British government's ban, which came into effect at midnight. Activists and their supporters have said the group is non-violent and advocates civil disobedience, and condemned the government decision as authoritarian.
A small group of protesters stood beneath a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and held placards reading, 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'
Police surrounded them and several people were taken away. One woman seen lying on the ground in handcuffs was carried by officers to a police van.
'Palestine Action is a proscribed group and officers will act where criminal offences are committed,' the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The designation as a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act 2000 means that membership of the group and support of its actions a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The government moved to ban Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England, on June 20, damaging two planes using red paint and crowbars in protest at the British government's ongoing military support for Israel in its war in Gaza.
Police said that the incident caused around 7 million pounds' ($9.4 million) worth of damage.
Four people between 22 and 35 years old were charged Thursday with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the interests of the U.K.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
44 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump hosts Israeli PM Netanyahu at White House for high-level meetings, private dinner
President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Monday for high-level meetings ahead of a private dinner between the two world leaders. The Trump administration and Netanyahu's team were expected to discuss the future of Gaza and the possibility of the Jewish state normalizing relations with Arab nations — but details of any potential progress made on both fronts were scant. President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. AP Netanyahu met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Blair House, the president's guest house, for an extended meeting, but a readout was not released. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff also met with the Israeli prime minister, but similarly, no details were made available about what was discussed. The meetings preceded a private dinner between Trump and Netanyahu at the White House, which was also closed to the press. This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Biden's former doctor asks to delay testimony to House panel, citing patient privilege concerns
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Joe Biden's physician has asked to delay his testimony before the House oversight committee this week, citing the need for an agreement that will respect doctor-patient confidentiality rules as part of the investigation into Biden's health in office. Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's physician at the White House, requested a delay until the end of July or early August 'to reach an accommodation that will protect the very substantial privilege and confidentiality interests of Dr. O'Connor and former President Biden,' according to a letter from his lawyer sent to Rep. James Comer of Kentucky on Saturday. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter. A spokesperson for Oversight Republicans said the committee will follow the House's deposition guidelines, which allow for witnesses to assert privilege on a question-by-question basis, with the committee chair ruling on each claim. But O'Connor is not allowed, in the committee's view, to delay or decline a congressional subpoena due to concerns over questions about potentially privileged information. The back-and-forth is part of a broader struggle over the scope of the House Republican inquiry into Biden's age and mental fitness, with serious implications for both politics and policy. Republicans have also claimed that some policies carried out by the White House 'autopen' may be invalid if it is proven that Biden was mentally incapacitated for some part of his term. Biden has strongly denied claims that he was not in a right state of mind at any point while in office, calling the claims 'ridiculous and false.' The House Oversight Committee first requested O'Connor testify before the committee last July, but the Biden White House blocked his testimony. Comer renewed his request in May and later subpoenaed the doctor in June. David Schertler, the attorney for O'Connor, in the letter said the committee is refusing to 'accommodate to any degree Dr. O'Connor's objections' over protecting privilege. He said the committee's decision was 'unprecedented' and 'alarming' and warned that it threatened broader principles around medical privacy. Scherlter said O'Connor could face 'serious consequences' for violating his obligations as a doctor, including losing his medical license. In a June subpoena of O'Connor, Comer said that claims of physician-patient privilege under the American Medical Association's code of ethics 'lack merit' because that code is not part of federal law. He said the committee's subpoena meets the AMA's own requirement that physicians must share a patient's medical information if 'legally compelled to disclose the information' or 'ordered to do so by legally constituted authority.' Comer has promised that the committee will make all its findings public in a report after the inquiry has finished. He has subpoenaed O'Connor and Anthony Bernal, former chief of staff to former first lady Jill Biden. The committee last month heard voluntary testimony from Neera Tanden, former director of Biden's domestic policy counsel. The committee has also requested the testimony of nearly a dozen former senior Biden aides, including former White House chiefs of staff Ron Klain and Jeff Zients; former senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn; former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, former counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and a former assistant to the president, Ashley Williams. The Trump White House has waived executive privilege, a principle that protects many communications between the president and staff from Congress and the courts, for almost 10 senior former Biden staffers. That move clears the way for those staffers to discuss their conversations with Biden while he was president. While the privilege can apply to former staffers, the decision of whether to waive it is decided by the sitting administration. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
an hour ago
Student loan cancellation program could become Trump retribution tool
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump is reshaping a student loan cancellation program into what some fear will become a tool for political retribution, taking aim at organizations that serve immigrants and transgender youth. Public Service Loan Forgiveness allows government employees, such as teachers and firefighters, plus many who work for nonprofits, to have their student loans canceled after they've made payments for 10 years. The Education Department is preparing an overhaul that would strip the benefit from organizations involved in 'illegal activities," with the final determination left up to the U.S. education secretary. A draft proposal released by the department includes definitions of illegal activity that center on immigration, terrorism and transgender issues. Several advocates invited to weigh in on the draft proposal raised concerns it would give the department subjective authority to decide if an organization is engaged in anything illegal — a power that could be used to remove entire hospital systems or state governments from the program. 'That's definitely an indicator for me that this is politically motivated and perhaps will be used as a tool for political punishment,' said Betsy Mayotte, president of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors and one of the advocates asked to review the policy as part of a rulemaking process. More than 1 million Americans have had loans canceled through the program, including nurses, college staffers and park rangers. Congress created the program in 2007 to encourage college graduates to work in the public sector, where salaries are often lower than at for-profit companies. The program promises to cancel all remaining debt after borrowers make 120 monthly loan payments while working for any level of government. Currently, nonprofits also are eligible if they focus on certain areas including public interest law, public health or education. A federal database of eligible nonprofits currently includes some that provide grants to transgender youth and their families so they can travel to states that permit gender-affirming care for minors. It also includes some that provide legal services to immigrants regardless of their legal status. Trump ordered changes to the program in March, declaring it had 'misdirected tax dollars into activist organizations' that harm national security. He directed the Education Department to remove organizations tied to illegal activities, singling out those that work with immigrants or transgender youth or those that support terrorism — a label he often applies to pro-Palestinian activists. His plan has the potential to block huge numbers of student loan borrowers from cancellation. Those who work for an ineligible employer would no longer be able to make progress toward cancellation, effectively forcing them to find a new job or forgo loan forgiveness. The proposal's definitions of illegal activity largely mirror those laid out by Trump. They include 'aiding or abetting" in the violation of federal immigration law, and supporting any group designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Also on the list are violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law Trump officials have invoked to root out diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Also considered illegal is 'engaging in the chemical and surgical castration or mutilation of children in violation of Federal or State law.' It says that includes the use of hormone therapy or drugs that delay puberty. It defines children as those under 19. It raises concerns that entire hospital systems could become ineligible if a single department provides certain care to transgender youth. Likewise, the federal government could potentially strip the benefit from entire cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. 'I could see entire cities and entire civil structures being targeted," said Alyssa Dobson, financial aid director at Slippery Rock University and a member of the rulemaking panel. It could also give the administration another tool in its campaign against universities that run afoul of the president's politics, she said. 'This unfortunately may allow them to further chase the undesirable institutions, in their view,' she said. When determining if an employer should be deemed ineligible, the department's proposal would take into account court judgments and other legal findings. But it leaves room for at least some degree of subjectivity, giving the education secretary the authority to exclude organizations without proof of a conviction or settlement. Only one negotiator opposed the proposal, the Education Department noted. Several negotiators on the rulemaking panel said they took issue with the proposal, but voted in favor of tweaks they felt improved the rule. An Education Department spokesperson said the agency 'has an obligation to prevent unlawful conduct and ensure that employers in the PSLF program are not complicit in illegal activities.' If used widely, the policy could worsen shortages of doctors and nurses, said Emeka Oguh, CEO of PeopleJoy, a company that helps employers provide student loan relief. A member of the panel, he encouraged the Education Department to use the power surgically, going after individual hospital divisions rather than systems as a whole. Oguh said department officials were unable to provide examples of organizations that might be found to be involved in illegal activities. When pressed for detail, officials said it would not be considered illegal for a hospital to treat an immigrant in the country illegally, he said. Less certain was how the department would handle teachers or schools teaching lessons considered DEI. 'There was a lot of ambiguity there,' Oguh said. Some others raised concerns with a provision that requires employers to certify they do not engage in illegal activities. Failure to certify could also render an organization ineligible, raising the risk that paperwork problems could jeopardize cancellation for huge numbers of borrowers. The department said it's open to making changes based on the panel's concerns. Ultimately, it's free to shape the proposal as it pleases. The agency is now preparing a formal proposal that will undergo a public comment period before it's finalized. It would be expected to take effect in July 2026. Last week, the Education Department thanked the experts and said they 'helped fulfill one of President Trump's promises to ensure that PSLF does not subsidize organizations that are breaking the law.'
