AN MLA has condemned the arrest of a woman in Belfast, who was detained after wearing a T-shirt in support of Palestine Action.
Sinn Féin's Pat Sheehan described the arrest as 'disgraceful', whle Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Director of Amnesty International UK, branded the PSNI's actions 'outrageous'.
The arrest, in the Linenhall Street area of the city centre on Saturday, came on the same day that almost 500 people were arrested in London at a protest in support of Palestine Action.
The group, which opposes the arms industry and Israel's occupation of Gaza, was proscribed earlier this year after spray-painting a plane at the RAF's Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire.
Saturday's arrest in Belfast came during a Refugees Welcome rally, which was being held at the same time as an anti-immigration protest in the city centre.
Footage shared online showed a PSNI officer telling the woman that she was being arrested under Article 13 of the Terrorism Act 'for possession of an article, namely a sign or on a T-shirt, that indicates support for Palestine Action'.
The woman, whose T-shirt read 'We Are All Palestine Action', was then picked up and put in a police van, as other protesters chanted: "Let her go."
The force later confirmed that a 62-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation.
'Draconian legislation'
Following the arrest, Mr Sheehan accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of trying to silence criticism of Israel.
"The British Government's attempts to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement, and the subsequent actions of the PSNI in enforcing this draconian legislation, have been disgraceful," he said.
"While Keir Starmer continues to enable the ongoing Israeli genocide and starvation of Gazans, he is also moving to silence ordinary, decent people for speaking out.
"Just yesterday, Netanyahu announced his intention to seize Gaza City. Yet still, Starmer provides cover for this rogue regime, instead targeting activists for highlighting what should be a universal moral outrage.
"Like all previous censorship attempts by the British Government, which is totally out of step with the wider public, this too will fail.
"Highlighting the ongoing devastation in Gaza is not a crime. The real crime is Israel's policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide, aided and abetted by the US and Britain."
'Wholly disproportionate'
Those words were echoed by Amnesty International's Mr Corrigan, who said terrorism laws pose a risk to peaceful protest.
"The arrest of a protester in Belfast today under UK terrorism legislation is outrageous," he said.
"Peaceful protest is a basic human right. Many people are justifiably angered by the ongoing genocide in Gaza and are concerned about UK complicity. Under international human rights law, they have every right to voice their concerns.
"The individual who joined a Refugees Welcome rally in Belfast was not promoting violence, and it is wholly disproportionate for the PSNI to treat her as a terrorist.
"UK terrorism laws pose a serious risk to free expression. Rather than targeting peaceful protesters, the Government should be taking swift and decisive measures to end Israel's genocide."
Mr Corrigan added that a man from the anti-immigration protest was detained by police after a missile was thrown at the Refugees Welcome rally.
The PSNI confirmed a 43-year-old man had been arrested for disorderly behaviour and two other men were cautioned at the same location on suspicion of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation.
In London, the Metropolitan Police arrested 474 people at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action.
Of those, 466 were detained under the Terrorism Act for support of a proscribed organisation.
"The protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of absurdity to be treating them as terrorists," said Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK.
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