Four people arrested for ‘supporting Hamas’ at Manchester rally

Four people have been arrested at a vigil to remember those killed in the Israel attacks by Hamas.

Supporters were arrested at the vigil outside Manchester Central Library earlier this evening.

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Greater Manchester Police said four people had been taken into custody on suspicion of breaching the peace as huge crowds gathered together amid the ongoing conflict.

The force said the suspects were not arrested for supporting Palestine.

They added that ‘people have the right to express their support for both Israel and Palestine’, but that they draw a ‘clear distinction’ between that and support for terrorist group Hamas and that the actions of the suspects had the ‘potential to cause disorder’ at the peaceful event.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: ‘During events in Manchester City Centre tonight – marking the Hamas-Israel conflict, four people were arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace.

‘They were not arrested for supporting Palestine – GMP understands that members of Greater Manchester’s communities are devastated by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and that people have a right to express their support for both Israel and Palestine.

‘The force draws a clear distinction between support for Palestine and support for the proscribed terrorist organisation ‘Hamas’.

‘The suspects who were taken into police custody were arrested following an assessment that their actions had the potential to cause disorder at an otherwise peaceful event.’

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