‘Hamas is terrorist’: London police arrest, release Iranian activist at pro-Palestinian rally

A counter-protester at a pro-Palestinian rally in London was arrested yesterday after he carried a sign reading “Hamas is terrorist organization,” according to local media reports and social media posts.

Videos on social media show exiled Iranian activist Niyak Ghorbani being wrestled to the ground by five local police officers and handcuffed.

More proof that Britain is racing in a very dangerous direction: yesterday there was another anti-Israel demonstration in London, one brave guy came there with a sign showing a simple fact: "Hamas is terrorists"… guess who the British police arrested?! pic.twitter.com/Mh1fsld9vs

— יוסף חדאד – Yoseph Haddad (@YosephHaddad) March 10, 2024

Ghorbani is quoted as telling The Daily Mail, “I think the police are totally wrong. It is a total double standard. It is one rule for the Palestinian protesters and another for me. It is hypocrisy.”

Ghorbani posts on X, formerly Twitter, that he was released without charges.

I was released without any charges, but Hamas supporters are freely roaming the city!

It's shameful!#HamasTerrorist https://t.co/2lkXOKKjQ8 pic.twitter.com/fHSRXgl07i

— Niyak Ghorbani (نیاک) (@GhorbaniiNiyak) March 9, 2024

The protester had a similar encounter at a rally last month, according to The Daily Mail, when he was attacked by a pro-Palestinian mob while holding an anti-Hamas sign.

The UK officially designated Hamas as an Islamist terrorist group in 2021.