Protesters Arrested in London Following Demonstration Against Government Policy on Gaza
LONDON — A protest took place today in central London, leading to several arrests. The demonstration was organized to oppose the government's stance on the conflict in Gaza, with protesters accusing the government of complicity in what they described as genocide.
A key moment of the protest involved an individual who announced their intention to create a sign with the words, "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine action," and claimed this act would be a "terrorist offense" under current law. The protester stated that the purpose of this action was to "take a stand" and "uphold democracy in this country."
Police at the scene were heard informing one individual that they were being arrested under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act. The protest organizer emphasized that the demonstration was intended to be peaceful and accused the police of being "genocide police." A representative for the protest stated that Amnesty International had previously advised the Metropolitan Police that arresting demonstrators under these circumstances would be a violation of human rights and international law, suggesting that the police had a choice not to intervene.
The protest drew an estimated 600 to 700 people. While police made arrests around the edges of the crowd, a large number of people in the center of the square remained untouched. The individual who spoke to the press noted that the consequences of potential charges were "nothing" compared to the situation in Gaza.
