Protesters were arrested by police at a demonstration in Westminster organised by Defend Our Juries, who police say were in support of Palestine Action.
The majority of those arrested at yesterday’s protest were in support of the proscribed group, which is an offence under the Terrorism Act.
However, a “significant” number of arrests were made after the protest turned violent, with several police officers assaulted, leading to 17 arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers.
857 people were arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) on suspicion of showing support for Palestine Action, with a further 33 people arrested on suspicion of other offences including assaults on police officers.
Following the arrests, police say that 341 people were released on bail if their details could be confirmed and will appear at a police station at a later date.
However, those who refused to provide details or were found to have been arrested while on bail were taken into police custody, and the total number transported into custody was 519.
All 858 will be investigated by the force’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart, who led the policing operation, said: “I’d like to thank all officers involved in yesterday’s operation for their professionalism and tireless work despite the level of abuse that they faced.
“The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.
“The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.
“You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.
“We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.”
