An activist has been dragged away from King’s Cross Station shouting “Free Palestine” after British Transport Police (BTP) broke up a protest.
In footage posted on X, an activist could be seen being carried away from the world the place tons of of individuals had been partaking in a sit-in protest calling for a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas battle.
Forward of the arrest, Transport Secretary Mark Harper mentioned in a publish on the social media platform: “I’ve granted consent for the BTP to make an order prohibiting a deliberate protest at Kings Cross Station.
“Our stations ought to stay protected locations for folks to go about their journeys with out disruption or intimidation.”
In a press release additionally launched on X, the BTP mentioned that they had been granted “new powers” to deal with the protest.
They mentioned: “We’re conscious of a deliberate demonstration at Kings Cross Station later this afternoon, Friday 3 November. We totally respect the rights of individuals to protest lawfully however the place we consider this might trigger severe disruption to railway providers, we should take motion.
“We’ve due to this fact obtained consent to utilise powers below Part 14a of the Public Order Act 1986 which permits the BTP to make an order prohibiting a trespassory meeting at King’s Cross Station.
“To organise or participate in an meeting throughout the prohibition commits an offence. We proceed to work carefully with our companions to handle the affect of protests for individuals who journey on the railways.”
Following the protest, BTP mentioned: “British Transport Police made two arrests at Kings Cross Station this night for failure to adjust to a piece 14 discover.
“There’s now a small demonstration going down outdoors the station in Kings Cross Sq.. The demonstration contained in the station has ended. Passengers can entry the station as regular and trains will not be disrupted.”
In response, Mr Harper mentioned: “Due to @BTP & @networkrail for guaranteeing tonight’s protest in Kings Cross Station was cleared promptly. Passengers should really feel protected & free from intimidation.
“I will proceed to again @BTP & guarantee they’ve the powers they should cope with illegal behaviour on our rail community.”
Following the protest, there have been no delays to trains departing or arriving at Kings Cross Station.
In response to the arrests, Netpol wrote on X: “British Transport Police earlier declared any protest in Kings Cross Station a “trespassory meeting”. A variety of Palestine solidarity campaigners have been aggressively arrested.”
Subsequent to a video of protesters contained in the station, MP Claudia Webbe mentioned: “We can’t be silent or silenced. That is Kings Cross Station, London.”
The sit-in protest on the station comes simply days after an analogous protest at Liverpool Avenue Station in Central London.
The newest protest comes forward of one other pro-Palestine protest anticipated on Saturday. Throughout the week, Dwelling Secretary Suella Braverman got here below fireplace for her description of these protests.
She mentioned: “We have seen now tens of hundreds of individuals take to the streets following the bloodbath of Jewish folks, the only largest lack of Jewish life because the Holocaust, chanting for the erasure of Israel from the map. To my thoughts there is just one approach to describe these marches: they’re hate marches.”
Ms Braverman has additionally reportedly written to police constables in England and Wales to counsel that chanting or waving a Palestinian flag may very well be a legal offence.
The BBC mentioned that she wrote: “Behaviours which might be reliable in some circumstances, for instance, the waving of a Palestinian flag, will not be reliable reminiscent of when supposed to glorify acts of terrorism.”