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London police arrest more than 200 at protest backing banned group Palestine Action

LONDON (AP) — London police arrested more than 200 people on Saturday during a protest against a ban on the group Palestine Action that the government has labeled a terrorist organization.

Metropolitan Police said they had detained 212 protesters between the ages of 27 and 82 for supporting the group.

Britain’s High Court ruled in February that the government’s decision to outlaw the protest group as a terrorist organization was unlawful, but it kept the ban in place while the government appeals.

Police had warned in advance of the protest organized by the group Defend Our Juries that it would make arrests.

Hundreds gathered in Trafalgar Square to show their support for the group, with some holding signs reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Musician Robert Del Naja of the trip hop group Massive Attack said he held a sign in support of the group despite the possibility that an arrest could jeopardize his ability to travel.

“I thought this is ridiculous and then the police making that U-turn to arrest people again, I thought that is even more ridiculous,” he said. “So I’m going to hold a sign today.”

Protesters yelled “shame on you” at police carrying away protesters and mocked them for arresting the elderly.

“Yeah, she looks like a terrorist, doesn’t she mate?” a woman yelled as police led a protester with a walking stick to a police van.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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