Latest news with #SirMarkRowley
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Palestine Action protesters clash with police as government confirms ban on group under anti-terror laws
Protesters clashed with police at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action as the government confirmed a move to ban the group under anti-terror laws. The crowd surged towards police when officers tried to detain someone in Trafalgar Square in central London, while onlookers chanted 'let them go'. The protest had initially been planned to take place outside the Houses of Parliament, but the location was changed early on Monday morning after the Metropolitan Police imposed an exclusion zone. The Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was 'shocked' by the planned protest and described Palestine Action as an 'organised extremist criminal group'. Shortly after the protest began, Home Secretary Yvetter Cooper announced she had decided to proscribe Palestine Action, following the group's vandalism of two planes at an RAF base. She said she would lay an order before Parliament next week which, if passed, will make membership and support for the protest group illegal. Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. On Sunday, Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said he could not rule out the possibility of a foreign power being behind Palestine Action. Speaking at the protest, Palestine Action spokesperson Max Geller said there had never been any evidence of such claims. 'I can't overstate how absurd and disappointing that accusation is,' he said. 'I want to make very clear that there has never been any evidence offered to support such a claim, and if we were allowed to be a legally recognised group, that man would be being sued right now for libel.' Asked about Sir Mark Rowley 's comments, he said: 'It's really troubling that the head of the Met would pre-empt the government and ban us from protesting (at the Houses of Parliament). 'It's a frustrating turn for democracy in this country.' The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. Speaking on Sunday, the head of the Met said he was 'shocked and frustrated' at the protest, but that until the group is proscribed the force had 'no power in law' to prevent it taking place. '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,' he added. 'Thousands of people attend protests of a different character every week without clashing with the law or with the police. The criminal charges faced by Palestine Action members, in contrast, represent a form of extremism that I believe the overwhelming majority of the public rejects.' Some 81 organisations have been proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and al Qaida, far-right groups such as National Action, and Russian private military company the Wagner Group. Palestine Action has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire.
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Protesters clash with police at Palestine Action demonstration in London
Protesters have clashed with police at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action as the UK Government moves to ban the group. The crowd surged towards police when officers tried to detain someone in Trafalgar Square in central London, while onlookers chanted 'let them go'. Advertisement The protest had initially been planned to take place outside the Houses of Parliament, but the location was changed early on Monday morning after the Metropolitan Police imposed an exclusion zone. The UK Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was 'shocked' by the planned protest and described Palestine Action as an 'organised extremist criminal group'. The UK Home Secretary is due to update Parliament following the group's vandalism of two planes at an RAF base. The rally started at midday and must end by 3pm, Scotland Yard said. Advertisement On Sunday, Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said he could not rule out the possibility of a foreign power being behind Palestine Action Speaking at the protest, Palestine Action spokesperson Max Geller said there had never been any evidence of such claims. 'I can't overstate how absurd and disappointing that accusation is,' he told the PA news agency. 'I want to make very clear that there has never been any evidence offered to support such a claim, and if we were allowed to be a legally recognised group, that man would be being sued right now for libel.' Advertisement Asked about Sir Mark Rowley's comments, he said: 'It's really troubling that the head of the Met would pre-empt the government and ban us from protesting (at the Houses of Parliament). 'It's a frustrating turn for democracy in this country.' Yvette Cooper will provide MPs with more details on the move to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support it, in a written ministerial statement. Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Advertisement The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. Police officers and protesters during the Palestine Action demonstration at Trafalgar Square (Jeff Moore/PA) Speaking on Sunday, the head of the Met said he was 'shocked and frustrated' at the protest, but that until the group is proscribed the force had 'no power in law' to prevent it taking place. '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,' he added. Advertisement 'Thousands of people attend protests of a different character every week without clashing with the law or with the police. The criminal charges faced by Palestine Action members, in contrast, represent a form of extremism that I believe the overwhelming majority of the public rejects.' Proscription will require Ms Cooper to lay an order in UK Parliament, which must then be debated and approved by both MPs and peers. Some 81 organisations have been proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and al Qaida, far-right groups such as National Action, and Russian private military company the Wagner Group. Palestine Action has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters clash with police at Palestine Action demonstration
Protesters have clashed with police at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action as the Government moves to ban the group. The crowd surged towards police when officers tried to detain someone in Trafalgar Square in central London, while onlookers chanted 'let them go'. The protest had initially been planned to take place outside the Houses of Parliament, but the location was changed early on Monday morning after the Metropolitan Police imposed an exclusion zone. The Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was 'shocked' by the planned protest and described Palestine Action as an 'organised extremist criminal group'. The Home Secretary is due to update Parliament following the group's vandalism of two planes at an RAF base. The rally started at midday and must end by 3pm, Scotland Yard said. On Sunday, Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said he could not rule out the possibility of a foreign power being behind Palestine Action Speaking at the protest, Palestine Action spokesperson Max Geller said there had never been any evidence of such claims. 'I can't overstate how absurd and disappointing that accusation is,' he told the PA news agency. 'I want to make very clear that there has never been any evidence offered to support such a claim, and if we were allowed to be a legally recognised group, that man would be being sued right now for libel.' Asked about Sir Mark Rowley's comments, he said: 'It's really troubling that the head of the Met would pre-empt the government and ban us from protesting (at the Houses of Parliament). 'It's a frustrating turn for democracy in this country.' Yvette Cooper will provide MPs with more details on the move to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support it, in a written ministerial statement. Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. Speaking on Sunday, the head of the Met said he was 'shocked and frustrated' at the protest, but that until the group is proscribed the force had 'no power in law' to prevent it taking place. '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,' he added. 'Thousands of people attend protests of a different character every week without clashing with the law or with the police. The criminal charges faced by Palestine Action members, in contrast, represent a form of extremism that I believe the overwhelming majority of the public rejects.' Proscription will require Ms Cooper to lay an order in Parliament, which must then be debated and approved by both MPs and peers. Some 81 organisations have been proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and al Qaida, far-right groups such as National Action, and Russian private military company the Wagner Group. Palestine Action has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Palestine Action barred from protesting outside parliament
British police have banned a planned protest by Palestine Action outside parliament, citing concerns over the group's activities. The ban aligns with government considerations to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist entity, which would effectively outlaw the group. This decision follows a recent incident where Palestine Action members allegedly infiltrated RAF Brize Norton, damaging aircraft with red paint and crowbars. Palestine Action announced they would relocate their protest to Trafalgar Square, just outside the police exclusion zone. Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that Palestine Action members are alleged to have caused millions in criminal damage and assaulted a police officer, providing an operational basis for their potential proscription. Police ban Palestine Action from Parliament protest
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Hundreds of people gather for Palestine Action protest
A Palestine Action protest is under way in central London ahead of an expected government announcement on proscribing the group as a terrorist organisation. Hundreds of people met at Trafalgar Square after police banned them from protesting outside of from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last week and spray painted military planes red to protest against the UK's support of Israel during the war in Gaza. Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley said he was "shocked and frustrated" about the protest, but said it could not be stopped unless proscription came into force. Organisers made the last-minute venue change after Scotland Yard enforced an exclusion zone across much of Westminster. Met Commissioner Sir Mark said while the force had no legal power to stop the protest, they would impose the conditions "robustly".Charing Cross, next to Trafalgar Square, was blocked for a time as protesters gathered, some waving Palestinian flags and chanting: "We will not be silenced." Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to announce plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group on Monday afternoon. The expected move to proscribe the group has drawn criticism from a number of human rights groups and activists. Labour peer and activist Baroness and Shami Chakrabarti said that she did not advocate criminal activity in protest, she felt proscription was a "step too far." Chancellor Rachel Reeves condemned Palestine Action's behaviour as "totally unacceptable" ahead of the statement in Parliament later. "To cause damage to military assets, but also to cause such damage to privately owned assets, it is unacceptable whatever your views are on what's happening in the Middle East," she said.
