The Metropolitan Police said 86 people were arrested for aggravated trespass after protesters entered a lobby area at the west London prison on Saturday night, banging lockers and chanting through megaphones.
Scotland Yard said officers were confronted by demonstrators who refused to leave when ordered, with some allegedly making threats and blocking access routes used by prison staff. Police insisted that security at the jail was not breached.
Video footage showed protesters packed into the entrance area near the prison’s reception desk, many wearing face coverings. One placard read: “Free Umer Khalid. End censorship. Bail now.”
Protest organisers disputed the police account, claiming officers kettled demonstrators and used excessive force during what they described as a peaceful protest. Campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said some protesters were “punched, kicked and pinned face-down on the floor”.
The Ministry of Justice condemned the incident, describing the tactics used as unacceptable. A spokesperson said that while the right to peaceful protest was respected, reports of trespassing and threats towards staff and police were “deeply concerning”.
The protest was held in support of Muhammad Umer Khalid, 22, who is being held on remand over an alleged Palestine Action break-in at RAF Brize Norton last year. Khalid, from Stockport, has been on hunger strike for 16 days and began refusing water on Friday.
He is charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes considered prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK.
Khalid is one of the so-called “Brize Norton Five”, accused of spray-painting two RAF Voyager aircraft during a protest in June last year. The incident later contributed to the government’s decision to move towards proscribing Palestine Action under terrorism legislation.
Supporters say Khalid’s communications have been restricted in prison and claim he has been denied access to the Quran. His demands include release on bail to care for his mother, disclosure of evidence in the Brize Norton case, and the removal of Palestine Action from the proscribed organisations list.
An online campaign group said the prison governor met Khalid earlier on Saturday to discuss his conditions. Khalid, who suffers from limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, is currently under 24-hour medical monitoring.
The Ministry of Justice said prisoners were being managed in line with policy and would be transferred to hospital if their health deteriorated.
