Anadolu staff
18 July 2025•Update: 18 July 2025
LONDON
A 64-year-old man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act during a peaceful protest in Glasgow in support of the recently proscribed group Palestine Action.
Police were called to Nelson Mandela Place on Friday afternoon after a small group gathered in the city center. One demonstrator held a placard reading: “Genocide in Palestine, time to take action.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed the arrest, saying: "Officers are currently in attendance at Nelson Mandela Place in Glasgow, where a protest group has gathered.
A 64-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an offense under the Terrorism Act for "displaying a sign expressing support for a proscribed organization."
The protest took place during lunchtime in the busy pedestrian area. Witnesses described the atmosphere as calm and peaceful throughout.
According to those present, officers approached the man and asked him to stop displaying the sign. When he refused, he was arrested and led away in handcuffs, as other protesters chanted, “Let him go!”
The protest came amid renewed scrutiny of the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action, which was formally proscribed as a terrorist organization on July 5.
The group, known for its direct-action campaigns targeting companies linked to the arms trade and Israel’s military, had recently made headlines after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and defaced military aircraft with spray paint.
A high court judge subsequently refused an injunction sought by co-founder Huda Ammori to suspend the ban while a judicial review is pending.
Human rights organizations have warned that the proscription risks criminalizing peaceful protest and silencing dissent, while supporters of the ban argue that the group’s methods amount to unlawful and dangerous activity.
