London police arrested nearly 500 people who displayed support for a banned pro-Palestinian group on Saturday and carried away protesters who gathered for a demonstration despite controversial calls to call it off by leading politicians.
The police had asked organisers to cancel the gathering after an attack at a synagogue near Manchester on Thursday, which killed two people.
Organisers refused requests by the police and government to call off the demonstration, which had been announced before the attack, to protest the banning of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws. Organisers said "cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win".
Starmer calls for calm
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm in a post on X on Saturday morning, saying: "I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews."
The Metropolitan Police said that 492 people had been arrested, with 488 detained on suspicion of supporting the proscribed organisation, which was banned in July after members broke into an airbase and damaged military planes.
The remaining arrests were for offences including being drunk and disorderly, common assault, public order violations, and outstanding warrants.
As of Saturday night, 297 people remained in custody, while the others had been released on bail.
Meanwhile, prior to the start of the protest, police said six people were arrested after unfurling a banner on Westminster Bridge outside parliament in support of Palestine Action,
Hundreds gathered for the main protest event in Trafalgar Square in central London, where police began carrying away protesters as seated activists wrote "I oppose Genocide, I support Palestine Action" on placards.
Onlookers chanted "shame on you" at officers.
The event is the latest in a series of protests, during which hundreds have been arrested for defying the government ban, which makes it an offence to show support for Palestine Action.
Police said Saturday's protests would draw resources away from security measures they have tightened around synagogues and mosques following Thursday's attack.
Defend Our Juries, which organised Saturday's protest, has condemned the attack on the Jewish community in Manchester, and urged police to focus on that, not policing the demonstration.
Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents
Thursday's attack followed incidents of antisemitic and Islamophobic hate in Britain this summer, and pro-Palestinian marchers have taken to the streets to denounce Israel, drawing criticism from some members of the Jewish community.
Jewish and Muslim communities in Britain have expressed fears for their safety.
Israel has been waging war in Gaza for two years, killing over 67,000 people since then, mostly civilians. The war is widely recognised as a genocide.
Israeli strikes killed several people in Gaza on Saturday, although US President Donald Trump had urged it to stop its bombardment after the Palestinian group Hamas said it was ready to release captives and agreed to some aspects of a plan to halt the war.
Hours after Thursday's synagogue attack, pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police at a demonstration outside Starmer's office, drawing sharp condemnation from interior minister Shabana Mahmood, who called their action dishonourable and un-British.