#mass-arrests

#mass-arrests

Police and protesters clashed in Paris during nationwide anti-government demonstrations organised by the 'Block Everything' group, leading to bins being set on fire and traffic disruption. At least 132 people were arrested in Paris, with nearly 200 arrests reported across France, as part of protests against the political class and proposed budget cuts. The demonstrations follow the French parliament's no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Monday, leading President Emmanuel Macron to appoint Sebastien Lecornu as his fifth prime minister.

Britain's Metropolitan Police arrested 857 peoplefor "showing support" for Palestine Action, an activist group thatthe government designated under the Terrorism Act in July. In doing so, the government made it a crime to wear an item of clothing, or display or carry something that might "arouse reasonable suspicion" that one is a member or supporter of the group. The penalty is prison time, a fine, or both.

The violence we encountered during the operation was co-ordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges. The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.