Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has condemned “extremist criminals” Palestine Action ahead of a mass rally in support of the group on Monday.
Thousands of activists are set to descend on London to back the pro-Palestine protesters – who just days ago stormed RAF Brize Norton.
Palestine Action has also waged a campaign of vandalism and alleged criminal damage at businesses and locations with supposed links to Israel, which has ramped up since the October 7 attack in 2023.
With the Home Secretary poised to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation as soon as tomorrow, Rowley has issued a lengthy statement warning of how the British public “rejects” it.
Mark Rowley has issued a lengthy statement warning of how the British public ‘rejects’ Palestine Action
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“I’m sure many people will be as shocked and frustrated as I am to see a protest taking place tomorrow in support of Palestine Action,” he said.
“This is an organised extremist criminal group, whose proscription as terrorists is being actively considered.
“Members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and last week claimed responsibility for breaking into an airbase and damaging aircraft.
“Multiple members of the group are awaiting trial accused of serious offences.
“The right to protest is essential and we will always defend it, but actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as legitimate protest.
“Thousands of people attend protests of a different character every week without clashing with the law or with the police.
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Palestine Action have coordinated a series of stunts against ‘Israel-linked’ firms
PA
“The criminal charges faced by Palestine Action members, in contrast, represent a form of extremism that I believe the overwhelming majority of the public rejects.
“We have laid out to Government the operational basis on which to consider proscribing this group. If that happens we will be determined to target those who continue to act in its name and those who show support for it.
“Until then we have no power in law to prevent tomorrow’s protest taking place. We do, however, have the power to impose conditions on it to prevent disorder, damage, and serious disruption to the community, including to Parliament, to elected representatives moving around Westminster and to ordinary Londoners.
“Breaches of the law will be dealt with robustly.”