Sixty-seven people have been charged after arrests by the Met Police for allegedly showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action. Those charged range in age from 21 to 83 and were arrested in central London on 5 or 12 July. The suspects face offences under section 13 of the Terrorism Act and a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment. Police have sent postal charge requisitions and are passing case files to the Crown Prosecution Service. Court appearances are scheduled at Westminster Magistrates' Court on various dates in September and October. More than 700 people have been arrested since the group's proscription, and Palestine Action won permission to challenge the ban at the High Court in November.
Those charged - whose ages range from 83 to 21 - were arrested in central London on either 5 July or 12 July, the force said. Hundreds more people have since been arrested by the Met for displaying an item in support of the group. The force said they had been charged with an offence under section 13 of the Terrorism Act and faced a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment.
Cdr Dominic Murphy, from the Met's counter-terrorism command, addressed claims that people attending protests could impact on police resources, saying: "The notion that by coming out and showing support towards a proscribed terrorist group will overwhelm us is completely misguided." Those charged come from all over Britain. Of the total, 23 individuals have been charged in relation to alleged actions on 5 July and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 13 October.
More than 700 people have been arrested by the Met since Palestine Action's proscription on 5 July. Last month, the group won permission to challenge the ban, with the case to be heard at the High Court in November. Along with other campaign groups, it argues the ban breaches the right to free speech and has acted as a gag on legitimate protest.
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