Five Dutch nationals among 425 arrested in the London protest organized by the banned group *Palestine Action*
At least five Dutch citizens were arrested in London on Saturday during a large protest organized by the banned group Palestine Action. Police confirmed that the total number of arrests exceeded 425 people. The arrests took place near the British Parliament, where demonstrators gathered defying the ban.
Dutch activists joined a group of seven people in the protest. According to the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, which noted that Dutch participants often take part in its demonstrations, it is still unclear when the detainees will be released. RTL reported that the remaining two members of the Dutch group may also face arrest or may have already been detained.
The London police stated that most of the arrests were made on charges of "supporting a banned organization." However, at least 25 people were detained on charges of violence, including attacking police officers. The police reported that their officers were "beaten, kicked, spat on, and pelted with objects" during the unrest.
The British government officially classified the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization last July. The group had previously stormed a base belonging to the Royal Air Force and vandalized military aircraft with red paint. The group primarily targets defense companies, including the Israeli company Elbit Systems, accusing Britain of complicity in Israeli military operations. While the group insists that it does not use violence, authorities assert that its actions exceed legal boundaries.
About a thousand protesters participated in a march on Saturday, chanting slogans like "Shame on you" and "You support genocide." The ban on Palestine Action has drawn criticism from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, condemned this ban, considering it a violation of international law.