“The law does not impose an age restriction,” stated the head of the Metropolitan Police after the arrest of an 83-year-old retired priest for allegedly backing a banned protest organization.

Reverend Sue Parfitt from Henbury, Bristol, was apprehended on the same day the group was declared illegal. She was present at a demonstration in Parliament Square, London, on Saturday.

The organization was designated as a proscribed entity under the Terrorism Act of 2000 on Saturday, making participation or showing support subject to a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley clarified, “This is not an issue of protest; it involves an organization engaged in serious criminal activities.”

A total of 29 individuals were taken into custody during the demonstration, and they have since been released on police bail as investigations continue.

The decision to outlaw the group followed an incident on June 20, when two Voyager aircraft were vandalized with red paint at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, resulting in damages estimated at £7 million, according to police reports.

Members of Parliament voted on Friday to classify the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had previously condemned the group, referring to their actions as “disgraceful” and pointing out their “extensive history of unacceptable criminal damage.”

On the day of her arrest, Ms. Parfitt was seated in a camp chair among fellow demonstrators, holding a sign expressing her support for Palestine Action.

As police led her away, she described the ban as “utter nonsense,” asserting that it represented a “deterioration of civil liberties in this country.”

In correspondence addressed to the Home Secretary, demonstrators expressed, “We do not wish to face imprisonment or be labeled as terrorists, but we refuse to let your order silence us.”

During an interview on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Mark was questioned about the appropriateness of police resources being utilized in this manner.

He responded: “The law applies to everyone, regardless of age, whether one is 18 or 80.

“If you are backing proscribed organizations, the law will be upheld.

“Officers approached the situation with care, aiming to maintain the individual’s dignity, but they are enforcing a significant legal violation.”

He mentioned that in the past 18 months, the group has been linked to “serious criminal offenses,” some of which are currently proceeding to trial.