Woman wearing Palestine Action T-shirt arrested

A 62-year-old woman has been arrested during an anti-racism rally in Belfast city centre.

Police said she was detained in Linenhall Street on Saturday afternoon on suspicion of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation.

The woman was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “We are all Palestine Action”.

Palestine Action became a proscribed organisation in July under the Terrorism Act, making membership of or support for the group a criminal offence. Two men were also cautioned for the same offence.

Police say they arrested a 43-year-old man for disorderly behaviour.

Human rights organisation Amnesty said he was from a “small anti-immigration counter protest”.

In London on Saturday, at least 365 people in London were arrested at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action.

Scores of people simultaneously unveiled handwritten signs with the same message “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”.

MPs voted to proscribe the group after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in June, spraying two Voyager aircraft with red paint and causing £7m worth of damage. Palestine Action said it was behind the incident.

A Home Office spokesperson said the decision to proscribe the group was based on “strong security advice” following “serious attacks the group had committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage”.