The average terror suspect arrested in Britain is now a white person in their 50s, following radical changes to the demographics of alleged terror offenders since the ban of Palestine Action.
The designation of the group as a terrorist organisation in July last year has caused a year-on-year increase of almost 1,200 per cent in previously rare terrorism-related arrests, with the 2,800 made for supporting Palestine Action overtaking the total number in the previous decade.
The vast majority of suspects have been arrested for holding signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” at protests against the ban, under a law which was originally designed to criminalise the wearing of IRA uniforms during The Troubles.
The volume of cases poses a significant challenge to the criminal justice system, where terror cases can only be dealt with by specialist prosecutors, with charges approved by the Attorney General and heard by senior judges in specific courts.
Hundreds of officers from Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) in London have been involved in each protest over the Palestine Action ban, working for weeks afterwards to progress investigations, according to the head of the unit.
