Metropolitan Police in London made 175 arrests this weekend as supporters of Palestine Action held a rally for the group after U.K. authorities listed it as a terror organization in July.

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror in the aftermath of a brazen vandalism attack at Britain's largest air base, RAF Brize Norton. The incident saw a pair of jets damaged, along with the base's runway. Four protesters were charged following the attack.

Another violent attack linked to Palestine Action in 2024 saw police attacked with a sledgehammer following the ramming of a defence technology firm's building.  

Rebel News reporter Emma Dunwell was on the scene in Trafalgar Square, where the anti-Israel protest, organized by another group called Defend Our Juries, was taking place.

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Those arrested at the protest were mostly older individuals carrying signs she reported, raising questions about the state of free speech in Britain.

“The ones that should be being arrested are the ones committing violent acts,” Emma suggested. “I don't think an elderly person holding a placard is a threat to me or my country.”

A speaker at the event, proudly shouting that she was part of a Communist organization, accused Israel, the U.S., U.K. and the “imperialist countries that back Israeli genocide” as being “terrorists.” 

The speaker said they stood in “unconditional solidarity” with “the Palestinian struggle” and said those in Gaza had the right “to resist occupation by any means necessary, including armed struggle. And that right is what Britain is attacking when they apply the terrorism act, when they apply terrorism laws, when they call us terrorists.”

British-Iranian political commentator Mayhar Tousi told Rebel News he thought the demonstration and subsequent police presence was “a waste.”

“What they should have done, the government, instead of banning a label, is just actually do a crackdown on those that are violent, do a crackdown on those genocidal chants,” he said.

The non-violent seniors who were arrested weren't “doing anything crazy,” the political commentator said. “There are actual radical ones, the far left.” 

Wasting resources on these individuals is not the same as “going after the problem,” Tousi added, calling it a “lose-lose” situation and suggesting “everyone's wasting everyone's time.”