Four people, including “a man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter”, have been arrested following a Westminster protest by Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has said.
The protest took place outside of Parliament as MPs gave their approval to the Government’s decision to ban Palestine Action as a terror group.
The Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The move, which also has to be considered by the House of Lords, would make it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to be a member of the direct action group or to support it.
Outside of Parliament, the police imposed Public Order Act conditions aimed at limiting the protest to an area off Whitehall.
“Public Order Act conditions had been imposed to prevent serious disruption, requiring anyone taking part in the protest to assemble on Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall,” a spokesperson for the force said.
One woman, who identified herself as Emma Kamio to the PA news agency, appeared to use the protest technique known as “locking on” to cause an obstruction outside of Carriage Gates, one of the entrances to the parliamentary estate.
Her daughter Leona Kamio was among a group of pro-Palestine protesters who have appeared in court to deny breaking into the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm with sledgehammers, causing £1 million of damage.
Police were seen speaking to Ms Kamio as she sat on the pavement outside Parliament with her arm inside what appeared to be a suitcase.
Listing the four arrests, a Met spokesperson said a woman “who locked herself onto a suitcase outside the gates of Parliament” was among them for “breaching the conditions and for being in possession of articles intended for locking on”.
“A man who was with her and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions,” they added.
The spokesman also said: “A man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions.”
A fourth man was arrested for “breaching conditions” of the demonstration, according to the Met.
A larger than usual number of officers could be seen in the area around Parliament.
The Met said the “significant policing presence in the vicinity of Parliament” was because of its “responsibility to take action to prevent serious disruption to the life of the community”, including by ensuring MPs “can go about their business free from intimidation or unreasonable interference”.
