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Police in London arrested at least 365 people Saturday for supporting Palestine Action, at the latest and largest protest backing the group since the government banned it last month under anti-terror laws.The Metropolitan Police said it made the hundreds of arrests, thought to be one of the highest ever at a single protest in the UK capital, for “supporting a proscribed organisation”.It also arrested seven for other offences including assaults on officers, though none were seriously injured, it added.The government outlawed Palestine Action in early July days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft.The group said its activists were responding to Britain’s indirect military support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.Britain’s interior ministry reiterated ahead of Saturday’s protests that Palestine Action is also suspected of other “serious attacks” that involved “violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage”.But critics, including the United Nations and NGOs like Amnesty International and Greenpeace, have lambasted the move as legal overreach and a threat to free speech.- ‘Unprecedented’ -A group called Defend Our Juries, which organised Saturday’s protests and previous demonstrations against the ban, said “unprecedented numbers” had risked “arrest and possible imprisonment” to “defend this country’s ancient liberties”.”We will keep going. Our numbers are already growing for the next wave of action in September,” it added.Attendees began massing near parliament at lunchtime bearing signs saying “oppose genocide, support Palestine Action” and other slogans, and waving Palestinian flags.Psychotherapist Craig Bell, 39, was among those holding a placard.He branded the ban “absolutely ridiculous”. “When you compare Palestine Action with an actual terrorist group who are killing civilians and taking lives, it’s just a joke that they’re being prescribed a terrorist group,” he told AFP.As police moved in on the demonstrators, they applauded those being arrested and shouted “shame on you” at officers.”Let them arrest us all,” said Richard Bull, 42, a wheelchair-user in attendance.”This government has gone too far. I have nothing to feel ashamed of.”Defend Our Juries had claimed only a “fraction” of the hundreds who turned out had been detained, but the Met insisted that “simply isn’t true” and that all those showing support for Palestine Action would be arrested.The London force noted some of those there were onlookers or not visibly supporting the group.- NGOs opposed -The Met also detailed how the hundreds arrested were taken to temporary “prisoner processing” points, where their details were confirmed and they were either instantly bailed or taken into custody elsewhere.Police forces across the UK have made scores of similar arrests since the government outlawed Palestine Action on July 5, making being a member or supporting the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.Police announced this week that the first three people had been charged in the English and Welsh criminal justice system with supporting Palestine Action following their arrests at a July 5 demo.Seven people have so far been charged in Scotland, which has a separate legal system.Amnesty International UK Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh wrote to Met Police chief Mark Rowley this week urging restraint be exercised when policing people holding placards expressing support for Palestine Action.The NGO has argued arrests of such people are in breach of international human rights law.A UK court challenge against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action will be heard later this year.

Police in London arrested at least 200 people Saturday for supporting Palestine Action at the latest and largest protest backing the group since the government banned it last month under anti-terror laws.The UK capital’s Metropolitan Police said it expected to make further arrests at the demonstration in Parliament Square, as organisers claimed only a “fraction” of the hundreds who turned out had been detained.”That claim simply isn’t true,” the Met said in a statement, noting some of those there were onlookers or not visibly supporting Palestine Action. “We are confident that anyone who came to Parliament Square today to hold a placard expressing support for Palestine Action was either arrested or is in the process of being arrested.”The government banned the group days after several of its activists broke into an air force base in southern England, causing an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft.Britain’s interior ministry reiterated ahead of Saturday’s protests that its members were also suspected of other “serious attacks” that involved “violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage”.But critics, including the United Nations and NGOs like Amnesty International and Greenpeace, have lambasted the move as legal overreach and a threat to free speech.- ‘Unprecedented’ -A group called Defend our Juries, which organised Saturday’s protests and previous demonstrations against the ban, said “unprecedented numbers” had risked “arrest and possible imprisonment” to “defend this country’s ancient liberties”.”We will keep going. Our numbers are already growing for the next wave of action in September,” it added.Attendees began massing near parliament at lunchtime bearing signs saying “oppose genocide, support Palestine Action” and other slogans, and waving Palestinian flags.Psychotherapist Craig Bell, 39, was among those holding a placard.He branded the ban “absolutely ridiculous”. “When you compare Palestine Action with an actual terrorist group who are killing civilians and taking lives, it’s just a joke that they’re being prescribed a terrorist group,” he told AFP.As police moved in on the demonstrators, they applauded those being arrested and shouted “shame on you” at officers.”Let them arrest us all,” said Richard Bull, 42, a wheelchair-user in attendance.”This government has gone too far. I have nothing to feel ashamed of.”- NGOs opposed -London’s Met Police and other UK forces have made scores of similar arrests on previous weekends since the government outlawed Palestine Action on July 5. Anyone expressing support for a proscribed group risks arrest under UK anti-terror laws. Police announced this week that the first three people had been charged in the English and Welsh criminal justice system with supporting Palestine Action following their arrests at a July 5 demo.Being a member or supporting the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.Seven people have so far been charged in Scotland, which has a separate legal system.Amnesty International UK Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh wrote to Met Police chief Mark Rowley this week urging restraint be exercised when policing people holding placards expressing support for Palestine Action.The NGO has argued arrests of such people are in breach of international human rights law.A UK court challenge against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action will be heard later this year.

Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping centre in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined “Mallathon” — an indoor, air-conditioned race.The government-backed initiative aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates’ hottest month, and make use of Dubai’s giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time.Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world’s hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.”If you run outside, it’s not healthy at all because temperatures are around 40C to 50C,” said one runner who gave his name as Rai, his platinum-blond hair pulled back with a headband.Participants wearing “Dubai Mallathon” T-shirts and sports gear ran and walked past closed stores along vacant, marbled halls that were set to be teeming with shoppers hours later.Throughout August, nine of the city’s shopping centres — including the cavernous Dubai Mall, one of the world’s biggest — are open daily for runners and walkers from 7am-10am.On weekends, runners can enter organised 10km, 5km or 2.5km races at designated malls, complete with podium presentations and prizes.During Saturday’s race at the City Centre Mirdif mall, two robots buzzed around the participants, who paused to take selfies with them.Others waited in line to use electric bikes that powered blenders to make healthy smoothies.- Mall rats -Mallathon is backed by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 42, whose public profile projects him as an exemplar of active living.It is one of a number of attempts to steer Dubai’s car-loving, mall-rat population towards exercise, including the 30×30 challenge, where residents are encouraged to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month.Obesity rates in the energy-rich Gulf country regularly top global charts.A study published by The Lancet in March predicted a staggering 94 percent of UAE males would be overweight or obese by 2050 — the highest in the world.Partly to blame is the furnace-like heat that ravages the region for several months a year, and is steadily growing more intense.The UAE had its hottest April on record this year, and then breached its May high two days in a row. On August 1, temperatures reached 51.8C, just shy of the national record of 52C.Menna, a 36-year-old Egyptian who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, said there was “no way” she would exercise outside in the summer.But in the mall, “we have air-conditioning, first aid, water… there’s everything that you need.” “It motivates you more when other people are doing it too,” she added.Fouzeya Faridoon, head of social activities at Dubai Sports Council, said more than 500 people had signed up for Saturday’s event, which was free.”The idea is to encourage people to exercise, especially walking and running, even in the summer,” she told AFP.Children, men, women and at least one person with a disability were among the participants who collected a medal and a bag of freebies at the finish line.Zamani, a Sri Lankan tourist, was one of the runners, along with her young children.”I like the energy, everybody is all geared up,” the 46-year-old said. “It’s very modern and chic.”