Nearly 500 people detained in London at rally in support of Palestine Action

Hundreds of people were detained in London at a rally against the ban on the Palestine Action group, which claimed responsibility for damaging military aircraft. This was reported by the agency Reuters with reference to law enforcement.

British lawmakers banned the organization in July under anti-terrorism legislation after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged aircraft. The organization accuses the British government of complicity in Israel's war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The protesters, some of whom wore black and white Palestinian scarves and waved Palestinian flags, chanted "Hands off Gaza" and held signs that read "I am against genocide. I support Palestinian actions".

Reuters video shows police taking away demonstrators who had gathered on Parliament Square near the parliament building. The crowd chanted "Shame on you" to the police.

Later, London police reported that they had arrested 466 people for supporting the banned organization.

Eight people were also arrested for other offenses, including five people for assaulting officers. Police said no one was seriously injured.

The ban makes membership in the organization a crime punishable by a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

• On June 20, two activists from the Palestine Action group broke into the air base in Oxfordshire. They doused two planes used for refueling and transportation with red paint and further damaged them with crowbars.
• On June 27, British anti-terrorist police arrested four people in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest during which military aircraft were damaged at the airbase.