Activist Peter Tatchell claims protestors at pro-Palestine march called him 'Zionist scum' and accuses stewards of having him arrested 'for shouting anti-Hamas slogans'
Peter Tatchell yesterday accused stewards at a pro-Palestine march of using the police to 'silence' his criticism of Hamas.
The veteran human rights activist was holding a placard which read 'Stop Israel genocide! Stop Hamas executions!' when he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police.
Yesterday Scotland Yard admitted that the 73-year-old had been detained in 'error' at the march on Saturday after 'concerns were raised with officers by stewards from the Palestine Coalition protest'.
Mr Tatchell was taking part in a protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to commemorate Nakba Day (the anniversary of the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war).
He said he had attended the protest to 'condemn Israel's genocide in Gaza, but also to expose Hamas's execution of Palestinian critics'.
'I find it shocking that the campaign, which I have supported for 54 years, would seek to use the police to silence my criticism of Hamas,' Mr Tatchell said.
'My placard clearly condemned Israel's genocide and supported freedom for Palestine.' He added, 'Before the march started, I was abused, menaced and threatened by a minority of protesters.
'Some said 'f*** off', others said 'get out of here' and accused me of being 'Zionist scum'.
'Despite me being threatened, the police stood by and did nothing. I was frightened for my safety, but the police did not intervene.'
Mr Tatchell said Palestine Solidarity Campaign stewards then wrongly told police he had been shouting 'Hamas are terrorists', adding officers told him shouting such a slogan 'was a potential criminal offence'.
The activist said he was then approached by a police officer who wrongly believed him to be 'part of a counter protest' and was then arrested for a racially and religiously aggravated breach of the peace under the Public Order Act.
The Australian-born campaigner is known for his work spanning more than 50 years championing such causes as LGBT rights and social justice movements.
He says he has been offered a knighthood three times, all of which he has turned down.
Mr Tatchell said: 'The police singled me out from all the hundreds of people marching in that section... They said they'd been requested to remove me by stewards from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
'The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has questions to answer. Did they collude with the police to have me arrested and why do they refuse to tolerate criticism of Hamas by supporters of Palestine?
'It's outrageous that criticising Hamas's human rights abuses can get you arrested in Britain in 2025.'
The Metropolitan Police said Mr Tatchell would face no further action and that it would review its 'handling of the incident to fully understand what took place'.
A spokesman added: 'While officers were acting in good faith based on the information they had received at the time, we now understand that Mr Tatchell was legitimately participating in the Palestine Coalition protest...
'He was released from custody at the earliest opportunity once officers realised that an error had been made.'
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