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More than 20 people have been arrested in London after a protest in support of the banned group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has said.<\/p>\n
Pictures from the demonstration showed a small group holding placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” in Westminster. <\/p>\n
As of Saturday, the group is proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, after lawyers acting on its behalf failed with a court bid to block the ban on Friday.<\/p>\n
The designation means that being a member of, or showing support for Palestine Action, is a criminal offence and could lead to up to 14 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In an earlier statement, the Met said: “Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square.<\/p>\n
“The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence.”<\/p>\n
The government moved to ban the group after an estimated \u00a37m of damage was caused to planes at RAF Brize Norton last month during a protest Palestine Action said it was behind.<\/p>\n
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe the group last month, calling damage to two military aircraft “disgraceful” and claiming the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n