Arrests as police ban hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters from Kings Cross station
It comes just days after protesters staged a sit-in at Liverpool Street station
Two people have been arrested after police banned hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters from holding a sit-in at Londonās Kings Cross station.
In a rare intervention, Transport Secretary Mark Harper stepped in to give British Transport Police the power to arrest campaigners under the Public Order Act over fears the protest could cause travel chaos.
Videos circulating on social media show activists chanting āceasefire nowā as they wave Palestinian flags inside the station. One video showed a man carried away by three officers as he continued to shout āFree Palestineā.
British Transport Police warned officers would be making arrests as the sit-in risked causing āserious disruptionā to rail services. Police later said the demonstration had ended and travellers could enter the station as normal without delays to services.
Mr Harper said: āWhile the right to peaceful protest is a key part of our democratic society, it cannot be at the expense of other peopleās right not to be seriously disrupted or intimidated.
āThatās why I have granted consent for the British Transport Police to make an order under Section 14A of the Public Order Act 1986 prohibiting the planned protest at Kings Cross Station this evening. This means protest activity at the station is classified as unlawful and anyone taking part will be subject to arrest.
āOfficers 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.ā
BTP said in a statement: āBritish Transport Police made two arrests at Kingās Cross station this evening for failure to comply with a section 14 notice.
āThere is now a small demonstration taking place outside the station in Kingās Cross square.
āThe demonstration inside the station has ended. Passengers can access the station as normal and trains are not disrupted.ā
The action comes just days after 500 activists staged a similar sit-in at Liverpool Street Station at around 5.30pm on Tuesday to demand an immediate ceasefire to Israelās attacks on Gaza and an end to arms exports to Israel.
On the day of the protest, 9,227 Palestinians have been killed, including 3,826 children, in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7, the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza said on Friday.
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