Palestinian fighters from the armed wing of Hamas take part in a military parade to mark the anniversary of the 2014 war with Israel, near the border in the central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

i24 News – A pro-Palestinian rally in London turned contentious on Saturday when an Iranian activist, Niyak Ghorbani, was arrested by local police for displaying a sign proclaiming “Hamas is a terrorist organization.”

The incident, captured in videos circulated on social media, sparked debates over freedom of expression and double standards in policing.

According to reports from local media and social media posts, Ghorbani was taken to the ground and handcuffed by five police officers during the rally. In an interview with the Daily Email, Ghorbani expressed frustration with what he perceived as double standards in policing, stating, “I think the police have it all wrong. There are double standards. There is one rule for the Palestinian demonstrators and another for me. It’s hypocrisy.”

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 later announced that he was released without charge. This incident follows a similar confrontation Ghorbani experienced at a rally last month, where he was reportedly attacked by a pro-Palestinian crowd while holding an anti-Hamas sign. The United Kingdom officially designated Hamas as an Islamist terrorist group in 2021, adding complexity to the situation.