UK Police have arrested 66 persons outside the Labour Party conference for supporting the unlawful terror organisation Palestine Action.

The arrest was made at a demonstration near the Labour Party conference in Liverpool city centre on Sunday afternoon.

Two of those arrested were later released, but the other 64 were detained on suspicion of a terrorism offence by the police.

Those arrested who were between the ages of 21 and 83 have been released on bail.

According to a Merseyside police statement, some of the people in attendance displayed material in support of Palestine Action, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

About 100 people had gathered silently, holding signs reading, “I oppose genocide; I support Palestine Action,” the protest group Defend Our Juries said.

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation in July after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two planes were damaged at the Brize Norton air force base the previous month.

A spokesman for Defend Our Juries said, “Instead of shutting down protests, it’s time the Labour Party took the responsibility to prevent genocide seriously.

”It should impose blanket sanctions on Israel, including stopping the flow of arms from factories in this country.”

During the protest, Keith Hackett, 71, said, “I’m risking arrest today under terrorism legislation because, as a former Labour councillor in Liverpool, I am deeply ashamed of how Labour is acting.

”They need to recognise that direct action has been a fundamental part of the gains that have been in the labour movement.”

Tayo Aluko, 63, an actor, writer, and singer from Liverpool, said, “This government is like all authoritarian regimes in modern times.

”The government wants to plant fear in the citizens so that it can continue to let their friends and paymasters get away with genocide.”

Israel has denied that any genocide is taking place during its conflict with the terror group Hamas in Gaza.

According to Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK’s Director of Communications and Campaigns, these arrests should not be happening.

”It’s clearly both ridiculous and seriously disproportionate for police to be targeting and arresting people for sitting down, quietly holding a sign.”

(dpa/NAN)