NEW Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is facing growing pressure to scrap the “impossible to enforce” Palestine Action ban after nearly 900 people were arrested in London this weekend.

An estimated 1,500 took part in the 11-hour Lift The Ban rally in Parliament Square on Saturday, as they sat and held signs reading: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” with hundreds of others taking part in Scotland.

A human wall of trade unionists and anti-war activists surrounded sign-holders in the action and outside the Westminster government offices in Edinburgh in a “Witness Circle.”

A total of 890 people were arrested in London, with 857 arrests made for showing support for a proscribed group, while 33 people were arrested for allegedly assaulting police officers and other public order offences.

The Met Police condemned the “intolerable abuse” it claims its officers suffered during the protest

The protest saw officers drawing their batons, forcing their way through crowds, carrying arrested protesters — including one wheelchair-using veteran — and having screaming arguments with demonstrators.

One protester was seen with blood streaming down his face.

Organisers Defend Our Juries (DOJ) called on Ms Mahmood to drop the “unenforceable” ban.

A spokesperson said: “The fact that 857 out of 1,500 were arrested and that this took 11 hours, makes a mockery of the ban on Palestine Action and shows once again that it is impossible to enforce.

“Rather than arrest thousands more ordinary citizens … the new Home Secretary must rethink what is becoming Labour’s poll tax moment, which is making the UK the subject of condemnation and ridicule around the world.

“Regarding the Met’s false claims smearing the protesters, this is simply a desperate attempt to deflect from the embarrassment caused to Sir Mark Rowley after he pledged the Met would arrest every person who held [the signs].”

On Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey said Ms Mahmood will be “just as tough” on Palestine Action as her predecessor Yvette Cooper, who moved to the Foreign Office as part of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle on Friday.

Amnesty International UK campaigns director Kerry Moscogiuri condemned the arrests, saying: “When the government is arresting people under terrorism laws for sitting peacefully in protest, something is going very wrong here in the UK.

“It is genuinely shocking to see people being hauled from the streets of London by the police for peacefully holding up signs.

“Let’s be clear, it is disproportionate to the point of absurdity to treat people sitting peacefully in a group holding signs in support of Palestine Action as ‘terrorists’.”

She said that any restriction on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly “must be lawful, necessary and proportionate to achieving a legitimate aim.”

“Criminalising speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence or advocates hatred. Expressing support for Palestine Action does not, in itself, meet this threshold.

“Peaceful protest is a fundamental right. People are understandably outraged by the ongoing genocide being committed in Gaza and are entitled under international human rights law to express their horror.”

In Edinburgh, demonstrators marched from the Mound to chants of “Lift the Ban” and “Drop the charges” before forming a human wall around people holding signs.

Stop the War Scotland co-chairwoman Jade Eckhaus said: “Starmer is trying to break the Palestine movement by drawing a line between ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’ forms of peaceful protest.

“The incredible action in Edinburgh made it clear that he’ll come to regret that decision.”

She said the unity of campaigners and trade unionists with DoJ activists send a “clear message” to governments that “they cannot suppress dissent while backing a live-streamed genocide.”

“Protest is not terrorism, and peaceful non-violent direct action to disrupt the genocidal war machine will continue until Palestine is free,” Ms Eckhaus said.

Stuart Graham, of Glasgow TUC, said: “The Scottish government and Police Scotland have a very real choice to make.

“Will they stand with the people of Palestine and Scottish civil society in opposing the autocratic moves of Starmer and co, as they continue to be apologists for genocide, or will they actually see sense and wake up to their moral bankruptcy?”