72 arrested at London protest for Palestine Action
Metropolitan Police arrested 72 people outside Woolwich Crown Court in London on Friday during a demonstration supporting the activist group Palestine Action.
The mass arrests took place during a sentencing hearing for four activists, known as the "Filton 4," who were convicted of criminal damage following a August 2024 raid on an Elbit Systems UK factory in Bristol. Prosecutors stated the group caused roughly £1.13 million ($1.34 million) in damage after using a vehicle to breach the facility, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse to support the defendants, with around 200 staging a sit-in. Among those detained by police were several elderly demonstrators, some aged between 80 and 90, who were holding signs of support.
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The Metropolitan Police defended the sweep, stating they are required to enforce the law regarding proscribed organizations. While a High Court ruling earlier this year found the government's ban on Palestine Action unlawful, the group officially remains a proscribed organization while the legal process plays out.
The case has drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties groups after Justice Johnson ruled the factory raid had a "terrorist connection," a distinction that could significantly increase the defendants' sentences.
Amnesty International UK Chief Executive Kerry Moscogiuri condemned the move, warning that treating criminal damage at a protest as terrorism sets a dangerous precedent for fundamental rights and future direct-action demonstrations across the United Kingdom.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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