Five pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested on Friday evening after police banned a sit-in at London’s King’s Cross station.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said he greenlighted the ban after hundreds of protesters disrupted the station.
According to the British Transport (BTP), the demonstration in the station began at 5:30 p.m. and ended by 7:15 p.m. A small demonstration followed outside the station.
In videos posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, protesters can be seen sitting on the station concourse chanting “ceasefire now,” “free, free Palestine,” and “in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.”
In one video, the controversial slogan “from the river to the sea” can be heard with demonstrators chanting “Palestine will be free.”
Minutes before the sit-in began, the BTP said on X that the force had obtained consent to ban the planned protest.
“We have therefore obtained consent to utilise powers under Section 14a of the Public Order Act 1986 which enables BTP to make an order prohibiting a trespassory assembly at Kings Cross station. To organise or take part in an assembly during the prohibition commits an offence.
“We continue to work closely with our partners to manage the impact of protests for those who travel on the railways.”
Mr. Harper said he had granted the consent.
“While the right to peaceful protest is a key part of our democratic society, it cannot be at the expense of other people’s right not to be seriously disrupted or intimidated,” the transport secretary said in a statement.
“That’s why I have granted consent for the British Transport Police (BTP) to make an order under Section 14a of the Public Order Act 1986 prohibiting the planned protest at King’s Cross station this evening.
“This means protest activity at the station is classified as unlawful and anyone taking part will be subject to arrest.
“Officers must have the powers they need for our stations to remain safe places for people to go about their journeys, protecting public safety and preventing disorder.”
Mr. O'Callaghan said the police had to make “initial arrests” after advising demonstrators to leave, but “the rest of the protesters then complied with the prohibition order and quickly left the station.
BTP initially said two arrests were made in the station. It later said a total of five people were arrested for failing to comply with the ban during the evening, while most protestors “left without incident.”
At about 7:45 p.m., “BTP, working with support of the Metropolitan Police, escorted a group of around fifty protesters away from the area to Euston,” the force said.
“Officers arrested one man near Euston station for common assault. Protestors then dispersed from the area.”
On Oct. 31, more than 500 people joined a pro-Palestinian sit-in at London’s Liverpool that was organised by the activist group Sisters Uncut.
Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to join rallies across the UK calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in the fourth weekend of pro-Palestinian marches.
Israel bombarded Hamas-controlled Gaza after Hamas terrorists bombed Israel on Oct. 7 and slaughtered and kidnapped Israelis.
The Israel-Hamas war has seen the death of more than 1,400 Israelis, according to Israeli officials, and more than 9,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-backed Gaza Health Ministry. The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the death toll.
The UK government, with the support of opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer, backs humanitarian “pauses” to allow the flow of aid and evacuees, but is not calling for an immediate ceasefire.
