A 36-YEAR-OLD man was arrested along with 16 others during a peaceful protest in Cardiff, on suspicion of "wilful obstruction of the highway and conspiracy to commit public nuisance".
The incident took place at around 3.40pm on Monday, June 3, with police officers from the force deployed to 'maintain public safety, facilitate peaceful protest, and minimise disruption to the wider community'.
The first peaceful protest was set up to show support for residents in Palestine who have "undergone an unimaginably horrific siege over the last couple of weeks."
The campaigns group, Cymru Students 4 Palestine, said: "At least 17 people, including a Palestinian girl aged only 12 and her mother, have been arrested in Cardiff and Swansea as police target people protesting the ongoing attacks by Israel.
"After the arrest of a disabled activist who was addressing a crowd on a megaphone at a ‘sit down’ protest on the junction of Park Place and Boulevard de Nantes near Cardiff City Centre, over 100 supporters gathered at Cardiff Bay Police Station and demanded his release.
"A smaller group of supporters sat down in the reception of the police station, some with blankets, flasks and camping chairs. Just before midnight, police moved in and arrested seated protesters one by one."
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: "At around 3.40pm yesterday (Monday, June 3) a report was received of a protest involving 50 to 60 protestors on Boulevard de Nantes, near the junction with Park Place, in Cardiff city centre.
"Officers were deployed to maintain public safety, facilitate peaceful protest, and minimise disruption to the wider community.
"A 36-year-old man from Swansea was arrested on suspicion of wilful obstruction of the highway and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
"At 9.30pm a further spontaneous protest occurred in the front desk area of Cardiff Bay Police Station and 16 people were arrested on suspicion of violent behaviour at a police station.
All those arrested remain in custody and enquiries are ongoing."
The spokesperson for Cymru Students 4 Palestine, said: "Protesters in Cardiff had initially responded to a call for an emergency protest for Rafah by a coalition of groups including Palestinian Forum in Britain, Cardiff Stop the War, Black Lives Matter Cardiff and Vale, Stand Up for Palestine, and Cymru Students for Palestine.
Cardiff University was contacted for a further statement.
Watch the video of the 36-year-old activist being restrained by police officers at South Wales Police, in the post by the Stand Up 4 Palestine group, below.
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