French deputies detained in Israel declare hunger strike

PARIS, Oct 05 (AFP/BBC): Four hard-left French deputies who were detained by Israel after boarding a Gaza-bound flotilla have declared a hunger strike, their party said.
"We have no news from them" apart from "brief exchanges with their lawyers and with the French consul who was able to visit them," hard-left France Unbowed member of European Parliament Manon Aubry told French radio station Franceinfo Sunday.
"Their detention conditions are difficult," she said, describing more than 10 people per cell and difficulty accessing water.
France Unbowed announced Saturday that two of its national deputies, Francois Piquemal and Marie Mesmeur, and two of its MEPs, Rima Hassan and Emma Fourreau, had declared a hunger strike "in solidarity with the Palestinian people".
Aubry called on French authorities to repatriate their nationals.
Israel detained 30 French citizens after intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 45 ships that aimed to break Israel's siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the territory.
Nearly 500 arrested
at Palestine Action
protest in London
Nearly 500 people have been arrested in central London during protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has said.
Organisers Defend Our Juries said around 1,000 took part in demonstrations around Trafalgar Square backing Palestine Action - a group which was proscribed by the government in July making it illegal to show any support or affiliation to them.
The Met said 488 of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed organisation, with the the youngest person held being 18 and the oldest 89.
Demonstrations went ahead despite pleas from ministers and police who called for protests to be postponed following Thursday's deadly synagogue attack in Manchester.