Key facts
- Police arrested 14 activists in London on Saturday.
- The protest marked one year since Palestine Action was banned.
- Activists from Defend Our Juries invited police officers to join the proscribed group.
- Arrests were made under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act.
- Reverend Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old peace campaigner, was among those detained.
Police arrested 14 activists in central London on Saturday during a protest marking one year since the group Palestine Action was banned. Demonstrators from Defend Our Juries stood outside New Scotland Yard, distributing leaflets that invited police officers to join the proscribed organisation. The arrests were carried out under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act, which criminalises inviting support for a proscribed organisation and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. This action represents an escalation from previous protests where police used Section 13 of the Act. Among those arrested was 83-year-old peace campaigner Reverend Sue Parfitt. Defend Our Juries stated the protest was part of their 'Saving Lives is Not Terrorism' campaign, which they claim has led to over 3,500 arrests under terrorism legislation. A spokesperson for the group criticised the police's response and urged them to investigate British operations of Elbit Systems, a supplier of drones to the Israeli military, rather than targeting pro-Palestine protesters.