UK police ban Palestine Action protest outside parliament
LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - British police have banned campaign group Palestine Action from protesting outside parliament on Monday, a rare move that comes after two of its members broke into a military base last week and as the government considers banning the organisation.
The group said in response that it had changed the location of its protest on Monday to Trafalgar Square, which lies just outside the police exclusion zone.
The pro-Palestinian organisation is among groups that have regularly targeted defence firms and other companies in Britain linked to Israel since the start of the conflict in Gaza.
British media have reported that the government is considering proscribing, or effectively banning, Palestine Action, as a terrorist organisation, putting it on a par with al-Qaeda or ISIS.
London's Metropolitan Police said late on Sunday that it would impose an exclusion zone for a protest planned by Palestine Action outside the Houses of Parliament - a popular location for protests in support of a range of causes.
"The right to protest is essential and we will always defend it, but actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as legitimate protest," Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said.
"We have laid out to Government the operational basis on which to consider proscribing this group."
Palestine Action's members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and, in the incident last week, damaged two military aircraft, Rowley added.
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16 minutes ago
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Moment protest chaos erupts as group behind RAF Brize Norton raid to be ‘BANNED like terror organisation'
POLICE have been spotted clashing with Palestine Action protesters at a demonstration today - as the group is set to be put on par with terror groups. Shocking footage showed officers tackling activists as violent scenes erupted at a protest on Trafalgar Square in central London this afternoon. 6 6 6 In one video posted online, a group of four cops can be seen attempting to wrestle a single protester to the ground. Other activists swarm around the officers as they struggle to take down the man. It comes as the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced today she has decided to proscribe Palestine Action. She explained that she will lay an order before Parliament next week which, if passed, will make membership and support for the protest group illegal. The ban will see the organisation on par with Hamas, al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The decision was made after activists from the pro-Palestinian group broke into RAF Brize Norton last week. Footage shared online showed two members breaking into the base and vandalising two planes in a "grotesque" breach of security. They spray red paint into the rear of one of the jet's two engines and deep into the aircraft itself. The pair of activists can then be seen roaming free across the grounds of the airbase on electric scooters. Brize Norton is the RAF 's largest airbase and home to more than 6,000 military and civilian personnel as well as the UK's largest military aircraft. The MoD slammed the "vandalism of Royal Air Force assets" in a scathing statement. A spokeswoman for the ministry said: "Our armed forces represent the very best of Britain. "They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. "It is our responsibility to support those who defend us." The shocking break-in at the Oxfordshire base prompted a security review at military bases across the UK. Hundreds commented under videos of the activists' efforts on social media, asking how security could be "that lacking" at a major military air base. 6 6 6
Scottish Sun
16 minutes ago
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Moment protest chaos erupts as group behind RAF Brize Norton raid to be ‘BANNED like terror organisation'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) POLICE have been spotted clashing with Palestine Action protesters at a demonstration today - as the group is set to be put on par with terror groups. Shocking footage showed officers tackling activists as violent scenes erupted at a protest on Trafalgar Square in central London this afternoon. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Police officers were forced to tackle Palestine Action protesters Credit: PA 6 The Home Secretary is preparing to ban Palestine Action following the group's vandalism of two planes at an RAF base Credit: PA 6 Protesters held banners during a protest in support of the pro-Palestinian group Credit: AFP In one video posted online, a group of four cops can be seen attempting to wrestle a single protester to the ground. Other activists swarm around the officers as they struggle to take down the man. It comes as the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced today she has decided to proscribe Palestine Action, putting it on par with a terror group. She explained that she will lay an order before Parliament next week which, if passed, will make membership and support for the protest group illegal. The decision was made after activists from the pro-Palestinian group broke into RAF Brize Norton last week. Footage shared online showed two members breaking into the base and vandalising two planes in a "grotesque" breach of security. They spray red paint into the rear of one of the jet's two engines and deep into the aircraft itself. The pair of activists can then be seen roaming free across the grounds of the airbase on electric scooters. Brize Norton is the RAF's largest airbase and home to more than 6,000 military and civilian personnel as well as the UK's largest military aircraft. The MoD slammed the "vandalism of Royal Air Force assets" in a scathing statement. A spokeswoman for the ministry said: "Our armed forces represent the very best of Britain. "They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. "It is our responsibility to support those who defend us." The shocking break-in at the Oxfordshire base prompted a security review at military bases across the UK. Hundreds commented under videos of the activists' efforts on social media, asking how security could be "that lacking" at a major military air base. 6 The giant Voyager plane was left coated in red paint Credit: ITV News 6 The group broke into RAF Brize Norton and vandalised two planes Credit: AFP
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