Palestine Action accused of using force against police to free detained activist
Activists from Palestine Action have been arrested in clashes with police as the government looks to make it illegal to join the group.
Scotland Yard said officers entered the crowd to 'speak to three people' at Trafalgar Square before being quickly surrounded by protesters chanting 'shame on you'.
The force said protesters 'used force' on their officers to free those being detained.
Images from the central London landmark show a man and a woman being dragged to the ground and being held down by police.
Two people were arrested for obstruction after a third was detained on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
The group blasted the 'Draconian' response from police. They said in a post on X, 'They want to ban us, they banned our protest at parliament and now they attack us. The people will not be intimidated.'
It came as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would make it illegal to be a member of Palestine Action after the vandalism of two planes at RAF Brize Norton.
She said: 'I have decided to proscribe Palestine Action under section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A draft proscription order will be laid in Parliament on Monday 30 June. If passed, it will make it illegal to be a member of, or invite support for, Palestine Action.
'This decision is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East.
'The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton in the early hours of the morning on Friday 20 June is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action.
'The UK's defence enterprise is vital to the nation's national security and this Government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk. Counter Terrorism Policing are leading the criminal investigation into this attack. It is important that this process is free from interference and the police are allowed to carry out their important work gathering evidence and working to bring the perpetrators to justice.' More Trending
But Labour MP Nadia Whittome, said the Home Secretary's plan set a 'dangerous precedent' for protest in the UK.
She said: 'We should all be concerned about plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group. Targeting non-violent protesters in this way is a misuse of terrorism-related powers.
'It sets a dangerous precedent, which governments in future could further use against their critics.'
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