In a dramatic turn of events, police arrested multiple supporters of the banned Palestine Action group during a silent protest at Parliament Square in London. The demonstration, which lasted for half an hour, took place at the feet of the Mahatma Gandhi statue, where participants held placards supporting a group now classified as a terrorist organization under UK law. The atmosphere was charged with emotion as supporters applauded and some were visibly moved, but the gathering quickly turned tense as police moved in, forming a cordon and detaining those involved.

This protest marks the first organized action since Palestine Action was outlawed, following their previous acts of civil disobedience, including breaking into a military airbase and damaging aircraft. The UK government’s use of anti-terrorism laws to suppress dissent has sparked outrage among human rights activists, who are voicing serious concerns about the implications for freedom of expression in the country. As police carried away protesters in vans, many expressed feelings of fear and oppression, with one participant stating, “What the UK government are doing in oppressing protest rights is really scary and it should scare all of us.”

Despite a last-minute legal attempt to challenge the ban, the group now joins a list of 81 organizations deemed illegal in the UK, including notorious groups like Hamas and al-Qaeda. A hearing later this month could determine whether a co-founder of Palestine Action will be able to contest the government’s decision in court. As tensions rise and the legal landscape evolves, the implications of this crackdown on dissent are reverberating throughout the nation, leaving many questioning the future of protest rights in the UK.