British police arrested 212 people during a protest in central London on Saturday against the government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests took place in Trafalgar Square, where demonstrators gathered to oppose the classification of the group as a terrorist organization.
The protest was the first since the High Court of Justice ruled in February that the ban was unlawful. However, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been granted permission to appeal the ruling, meaning the legal dispute remains ongoing.
The group was banned by lawmakers in July under counterterrorism legislation after some members broke into a site linked to the Royal Air Force.
Palestine Action has accused the UK government of being complicit in alleged war crimes by Israel in the Gaza Strip, claims that Israel has repeatedly denied.
During the protest, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, wore traditional black-and-white keffiyehs, and staged a sit-in, with some seated on folding chairs in the square.
Police said they are continuing to arrest individuals who show support for a banned organization, highlighting strict enforcement of the law despite the ongoing court challenge.
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