Big picture: Following the viral spread of violent arrests of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on social media, British police stated that the arrested individuals, including rally leader Chris Nineham, violated public order laws and caused serious disruption. The crackdown, seen as part of ongoing repressive policies against Palestinian supporters, marked the largest single-day arrest in the past 15 months of peaceful protests against the UK's support for the Israeli war on Gaza.
What they say: The police say that on the day of the march, a ceremony was being held in a synagogue near the gathering place of supporters of Palestine, and that the organizers of the demonstration were informed of it in advance and were warned not to approach there; they were told to limit their rally to the nearby of the parliament.
What he says: Jeremy Corbyn, a prominent pro-Palestinian MP, who was one of the speakers at Saturday's march, posted a message on social media calling Chris Nineham's arrest an affront to everyone's democratic rights, calling for his immediate release.
Context: The warnings came as numerous Jews including rabbis took part in the anti-Zionist demonstrations and acknowledged that the pro-Palestinian demonstrators treated them with kindness. The demonstrations are a response to the UK's support for the genocidal war the Israeli regime has launched on Gaza since October 7, 2023, where more than 46,700 people have been massacred.
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