An 83-year-old retired priest has been arrested for defying a newly enforced ban on pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action, just hours after the group was formally outlawed by the UK government, MEE reported.

The Reverend Sue Parfitt, from Bristol, was detained for holding a placard that read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” She was among more than 27 people arrested on Saturday for acts of defiance against the proscription.

Parfitt’s arrest has sparked widespread outrage on social media. One user called it “the march of authoritarianism & crackdown on freedom of speech & expression,” while another questioned whether it was now illegal to call her “a hero”.

Her friend, Jerry Hicks, demanded her release, stating: “She is against genocide & that’s not a crime.”

Another social media user said: "Incredibly brave stuff here from Reverend Sue Parfitt. These are the people we will remember fondly when all of this is a distant nightmare."

The arrests came just after midnight on Saturday, as a government order to label Palestine Action a terrorist group took legal effect. Supporting or joining the group now carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.