In U-turn, UK police say Palestine Action protesters will be arrested again

London’s Met Police had eased arrests following the High Court ruling that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful.

London’s Metropolitan Police warns that anyone showing support for Palestine Action is now “likely to be arrested”, weeks after the force said it would not do so.

Police had said in February that it would refrain from arresting supporters following the High Court’s ruling that the ban on Palestine Action as a terror group was unlawful.

But on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the Met had reviewed its stance following the court’s decision to allow the government to appeal that decision.

“While the High Court has found the proscription of Palestine Action to be unlawful, it has confirmed the impact of that judgement will not take effect until the government’s appeal has been considered, which could take many months,” Harman said. “That means it is still a criminal offence to support Palestine Action.”

Harman said police “must enforce the law as it is at the time, not as it might be at a future date” and that continued enforcement “is likely to involve the arrest of those committing offences” where support for the group is displayed.