Police arrest more than 20 protesters on suspicion of terror offences after Palestine Action banned

Police have arrested more than 20 protesters on suspicion of terror offences after a ban on the Palestine Action group came into effect.

The protest group was officially proscribed as a terrorist organisation from midnight on Saturday after a last-minute legal challenge at the Court of Appeal to delay it failed. The Metropolitan Police said on Saturday afternoon that the protesters had been held on suspicion of committing offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 following a protest in London's Parliament Square.

"The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence," the force added. "Arrests are being made." MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's decision to ban the protest group under the legislation on Wednesday and the House of Lords approved the move the following day.

The law change adds Palestine Action to the list of banned organisations along with the likes of al Qaeda, ISIS and Hezbollah, and makes membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Even wearing a T-shirt or badge with the group's name on attracts a maximum six-month sentence.

On Saturday, a large number of Metropolitan Police officers circled around dozens of protesters carrying placards that said: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Israel has strongly denied any allegations of genocide.

Campaign group Defend Our Juries said demonstrators were set to gather in Parliament Square on Saturday holding signs supporting Palestine Action. Officers who attended the protest were met with cries of "Met Police you are puppets of the Zionist state" and "leave them alone".

Others were heard shouting, "British police off our streets.