Three Cumbrians have been arrested at Palestine Action protests.
The trio were arrested under the Terrorism Act while protesting with placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Monday.
Mark Arrowsmith, 63, a teacher from Kendal, was arrested outside Woolwich Crown Court on Friday 12 June under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act.
Catherine Rennie-Nash, 75, a retired teacher from Kendal, and Clare Rodger, 21, from Cockermouth, were arrested for the same offence.
They were among over 117 people arrested over the last few days as protests continued.
The wording on their placards said ‘Saving lives is not terrorism. I support Palestine Action’.
Over 3,400 people have been arrested for holding similar signs since the group was proscribed a terrorist organisation by the government last July.
Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, successfully appealed the proscription earlier this year.
However, the Court of Appeal upheld the government’s appeal on Monday, meaning that the proscription remains.
Mark Arrowsmith has been arrested multiple times for holding cardboard signs, and has lost his job as a teacher as a result.
He said: “I see it as an absolute privilege and a duty to stand up for what’s right, even at the risk of being jailed.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman added: “We acknowledge the Court of Appeal’s judgment that the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action was lawful.
“This means that expressing support for the organisation remains a criminal offence and officers will arrest those who break the law.
“Officers policing a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice today, Monday, 15 June, arrested 117 people on suspicion of expressing support for a proscribed organisation.
“A further two people were arrested by colleagues in the City of London Police at a protest outside the Old Bailey.
“Since the organisation was proscribed, the Met has arrested over 3,000 people on suspicion of expressing support for Palestine Action.”
