Four arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences following pro-Palestine march in central London

One man was arrested while protesting against the arrests of the others
The National March for Palestine took place in central London
PA Wire
Lydia Chantler-Hicks15 January 2024
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Four people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences at a pro-Palestine protest in Westminster, central London.

A 34-year-old man from south-east Kent, a 58-year-old man from west London, and a 36-year-old woman from South Yorkshire were arrested around 4pm at the demonstration at Victoria Embankment on Saturday.

They were arrested on suspicion of inviting support for a proscribed organisation, contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and were taken into custody at a west-London police station.

A fourth person, sought by police, was arrested the following day when Met Police officers spotted him amongst those taking part in a protest against the counter-terrorism arrests outside a west London police station.

Officers arrested the 49-year-old from south London on suspicion of inviting support for a proscribed organisation.

"All four people have been bailed to return to a west London police station in late March," said a Met Police spokesperson on Monday.

"Police have completed searches of four addresses in south-east Kent, South Yorkshire, west London and south London."

Scotland Yard said the new investigation is one of around 30 launched by the its Counter Terrorism Command into suspected criminality at protests – the majority of which relate to potential terrorism offences.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The vast majority of people attending protests are doing so peacefully.

"There are consequences for those who are not and where officers see people supporting proscribed organisations we will take action, as we did this weekend.”

Thousands of people are believed to have taken place in Saturday's march, which left Bank junction in the City of London at midday before heading via Fleet Street and Victoria Embankment to Parliament Square, where speeches took place.

The Met reportedly deployed 1,700 officers on the streets of the capital on for the event - the first major Pro-Palestine rally in the capital this year.

As ever, we continue to ask the public to be vigilant and report in confidence anything that doesn’t look or feel right, either online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321.

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