In U-turn, UK police say Palestine Action protesters will be arrested again

London’s Met Police had eased arrests following the High Court ruling that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful.London’s Metropolitan Police warns that anyone showing support for Palestine Action is now “likely to be arrested”, weeks after the force said it would not do so.Police had said in February that it would refrain from arresting supporters following the High Court’s ruling that the ban on Palestine Action as a terror group was unlawful.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Keffiyehs seized, left to die’: Inside the Palestine Action hunger strikelist 2 of 4She took on Britain’s Palestine Action ban. Then she won.list 3 of 4After High Court victory, Palestine Action founder says UK ban ‘backfired’list 4 of 4Europe’s growing fight over Israeli goods: Boycott movements mushroomend of listBut on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the Met had reviewed its stance following the court’s decision to allow the government to appeal that decision.“While the High Court has found the proscription of Palestine Action to be unlawful, it has confirmed the impact of that judgement will not take effect until the government’s appeal has been considered, which could take many months,” Harman said. “That means it is still a criminal offence to support Palestine Action.”Harman said police “must enforce the law as it is at the time, not as it might be at a future date” and that continued enforcement “is likely to involve the arrest of those committing offences” where support for the group is displayed.Earlier on Thursday, several activists linked to Palestine Action, who were released on bail last month, spoke at a news conference about life in jail and the lasting effects on their health following a lengthy prison hunger strike.Protesters gather outside The Royal Courts of Justice as the High Court hears a judicial review on the proscription of Palestine Action under the terrorism act [File: Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images]In June, the Labour-led UK government proscribed Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation, placing the group in the same legal category as armed organisations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), and making it a criminal offence to be a member of or publicly support the group.