890 people arrested at Palestine Action protest yesterday

Protests took place across the UK yesterday.

A total of 857 were arrested over alleged terrorism offences, while 17 were arrested on suspicion of assaulting officers.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart, who led the policing operation, said: "I'd like to thank all officers involved in yesterday's operation for their professionalism and tireless work despite the level of abuse that they faced.

"The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.

"The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark. You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

"We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly."