Seventy-two people have been arrested following a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
The arrests came as protests broke out during the sentencing of four activists convicted over a raid on an Israel-linked defence firm’s UK factory, with tensions escalating outside the courtroom.
Police began detaining demonstrators shortly after 1:20pm, deploying vans outside the court to remove those arrested from the scene.
As officers made arrests, the crowd reacted with mixed responses, some applauded while others shouted at police, accusing them of complicity in violence, as chants of “you’re complicit in genocide” and “Met Police, shame, shame” filled the area.
The protest also saw demonstrators banging drums, using megaphones, and waving Palestinian flags while chanting “Free Palestine”.
Placards displayed at the scene carried messages such as “Direct Action Saves Lives” and “Direct Action is not Terrorism”.
Confirming the arrests on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said the 72 individuals were detained for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation.
The demonstration coincided with the sentencing of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani, who were convicted over a 6 August 2024 raid on the Elbit Systems factory in Bristol.
During that incident, the activists allegedly used sledgehammers and crowbars to break into the site, entering with the aid of an old prison van. Police said Corner fractured an officer’s spine during the confrontation.
The defendants argued that their actions were intended to prevent harm to Palestinians. They were convicted of criminal damage in May, while Corner was also found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm.
The Elbit factory raid was one of the factors that led to the UK government proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, a designation that was later ruled unlawful by the High Court.
The Court of Appeal is expected to rule on Monday on whether to uphold that decision, while separate sentencing considerations continue.
Separately, Mr Justice Johnson had earlier ruled that the Elbit raid had a “terrorist connection” and is expected to determine sentencing implications in the case.