At least 355 people have been arrested over pro-Palestine protests in London which is taking place in defiance of calls by politicians and police bosses to reconsider after the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
The Metropolitan Police arrested protesters for offences including supporting the banned terror group Palestine Action.
The arrests include six people who were detained for unfurling a banner backing the proscribed group on Westminster Bridge.
But the bulk of the arrests occurred in Trafalgar Square, where protesters held placards showing their support for Palestine Action.
The Metropolitan Police said: âAs of 5.20pm, 355 people had been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation.
âThe majority of people still remaining in Trafalgar Square are onlookers who are not holding placards in support of Palestine Action. Arrests continue.â
Organisers Defend Our Juries said more than a thousand people had gathered at the central London landmark to hold a mass, silent vigil protesting the proscription while the names of Palestinian children killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict are read out.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had urged protesters to ârespect the grief of British Jewsâ, while Jewish figures have called the action âphenomenally tone deafâ following Thursdayâs killing of two people in the terror attack.
A vicar, who had been sitting with her eyes closed and holding a poster saying âI oppose genocide, I support Palestine Actionâ, was among those arrested and carried out by police.
Some people in the crowd called police âshamefulâ and one said to officers âthanks for protecting usâ as the woman was taken away.
Two elderly men were also seen being carried by each limb to the south-west side of the square, where officers and police vehicles were waiting to process the arrests.
Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust charity which provides protection for the Jewish community, told BBC Radio 4âs Today programme: âI think itâs phenomenally tone deaf, to say the least, for so many people who claim to care about human rights and care about freedoms, to be taking police resources away from protecting the rights and freedoms of Jewish people to live their lives and go to synagogue in safety, all to support a proscribed terrorist organisation, which is not the same thing as supporting the Palestinians.
âAnd I think itâs remarkably self-absorbed and insensitive, to say the least.â
But Kerry Moscogiuri, director of campaigns at human rights group Amnesty International UK, said: âArresting hundreds of people for peacefully sitting down and holding these signs is not the job of police.
âThese arrests are in breach of the UKâs international human rights obligations and should not be happening.â
The Met had urged the group to call off its plans, with Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley saying: âBy deliberately choosing to encourage mass law-breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.â
Policing minister Sarah Jones said many of those attending the event âwant to be arrested, that is their aimâ.
She said: âWe believe in peopleâs rights to protest. This protest here in London is a different order of event because people are supporting a proscribed organisation and the police have to step in in that case.â
A similar event held by Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine also took place on Saturday.
After a crowd of about 100 pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside Manchester Cathedral to listen to speeches, they moved off en masse to march through the city centre.
As they banged drums and chanted âFree Palestine!â, a group of counter-protesters got ahead of them, marching in front and holding a flag saying âF*** Hamasâ and shouting ârelease the hostagesâ.
Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Stephen Watson urged would-be attendees at the protest to âconsider whether this is really the right timeâ.
Police forces have deployed extra officers to synagogues and other Jewish buildings to offer protection and reassurance in the aftermath of the attack.
