More than 500 people arrested after Palestine Action protest - with almost half aged 60 and above

The number of people arrested after a protest in London on Saturday supporting banned group Palestine Action has risen to 532, police have said.

Around half of them (259) were aged 60 and above - including almost 100 people who were in their 70s. Some 522 arrests were for displaying a placard in support of a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, according to the Metropolitan Police.

War in Gaza latest As of 9pm on Saturday, the number was put at 466. Hundreds of people attended the demonstration in Parliament Square, organised by Defend Our Juries, with the Metropolitan Police warning it would arrest anyone expressing backing for Palestine Action.

Membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act. In a post on X shortly after 6.45pm on Sunday, Defend Our Juries said every person arrested in the square had been released from police custody, and that none had been charged.

One of the arrests took place as the Palestine Coalition march formed in Russell Square, while 521 were at the protest. Of those arrested, the biggest number (147) was in the 60-69 age group, while 97 people were aged between 70 and 79, and 15 others were between 80-89.

Six were aged 17-19, sixty-five were in the 20-29 age group, 55 were aged 30-39, 45 were aged 40-49 and 89 were in the 50-59 age group. The average age of those arrested was 54, while some 263 of those arrested were male, 261 were female and eight either defined themselves as non-binary or did not disclose their gender.

Among the arrests, six were for assaults on officers (none were seriously injured), one was for "obstructing a constable in the execution of his/her duty.