Police have arrested dozens of protesters across Britain for supporting Palestine Action, the direct action group proscribed as a terrorist organisation two weeks ago following attacks on RAF aircraft. Demonstrations in Westminster, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Truro saw protesters holding placards declaring “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” whilst facing immediate arrest under terrorism legislation.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers “moved in and arrests are taking place” in Parliament Square on Saturday, where protesters had gathered beneath statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Some demonstrators were carried away by officers whilst others were led away in handcuffs, with the force warning that expressing support for Palestine Action would likely result in arrest.
The coordinated protests, organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries, came as the total number of arrests for supporting the banned group reached 120 across the UK. The Met alone reported arresting 70 people at similar demonstrations in Parliament Square over the past two weekends, highlighting the scale of civil disobedience against the proscription order.
Government Defends Proscription Decision
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the ban following an incident on 20 June when Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton, causing what police estimated as £7 million worth of damage to two Voyager aircraft. The activists used electric scooters to breach security and sprayed red paint into the engines of the military refuelling planes, with the group claiming they were disrupting British military support for Israel.
The proscription, which came into effect on 5 July, makes membership of or support for Palestine Action a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000. Even wearing a T-shirt or badge displaying the group’s name now carries a maximum six-month sentence, marking the first time a non-violent direct action group has been designated as terrorist in Britain.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told MPs the Brize Norton attack was “just the latest episode in Palestine Action’s long history of harmful activity”, adding: “Palestine Action is not a legitimate protest group. People engaged in lawful protest don’t need weapons.”
Unprecedented Legal Territory
The decision to proscribe Palestine Action has drawn fierce criticism from civil liberties groups and legal experts who argue it represents an unprecedented use of anti-terrorism legislation. Amnesty International described the move as “unprecedented legal overreach”, whilst UN experts warned that “acts intending to damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people” should not be labelled as terrorism.
Liberty and other civil rights organisations have expressed concern about the precedent set by using counter-terrorism powers against a protest group that has never targeted individuals. The proscription places Palestine Action in the same legal category as armed groups like al-Qaeda and ISIL, despite the fundamental differences in their methods and objectives.
Raza Husain KC, representing Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, described the proscription as “an ill-considered, discriminatory, authoritarian abuse of statutory power”, noting it marked the first time the UK had sought to ban a group carrying out direct action protests.
High Court Challenge Looms
Ammori is seeking to challenge the ban through judicial review, with a hearing scheduled for Monday at the High Court to determine whether she will be granted permission to proceed. Her legal team argues the proscription order should be quashed as an improper use of terrorism legislation against what they maintain is a civil disobedience network.
The High Court previously refused to grant interim relief that would have temporarily blocked the ban, with Mr Justice Chamberlain dismissing arguments about the order being improperly targeted. This decision allowed the proscription to take effect despite pending legal challenges.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said the protests would continue despite arrests: “These protests will see many more ordinary people across the country take a stand, who don’t want to be handcuffed and detained in a police cell but refuse to stand by while our country collapses into an Orwellian nightmare.”
Police Compare to Glastonbury Incidents
The Met specifically warned protesters against chants similar to “death to the IDF” led by punk rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury Festival, which sparked controversy and police investigation earlier this year. The force emphasised that any expression of support for Palestine Action, including chanting, wearing clothing or displaying signs, would constitute a criminal offence.
Among those arrested was 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, whose detention highlighted the diverse range of protesters willing to risk criminal prosecution. Healthcare workers and other professionals were also among those detained, with supporters gathering outside police stations demanding their release.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed 16 arrests in the city’s St Peter’s Square, whilst South Wales Police arrested 13 people in Cardiff. Similar protests in Edinburgh and Bristol saw varying levels of police response, with some forces taking a more restrained approach than others.
Parliamentary Vote Overwhelming
The proscription order passed through Parliament with overwhelming support, with MPs voting 385 to 26 in favour on 2 July. The House of Lords subsequently backed the move without a vote, clearing the way for the ban to take effect. Only 26 MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, opposed the motion.
Corbyn called the ban “a draconian assault on the democratic right to protest” and “a disgraceful attempt to hide the real meaning of violence: the mass murder of Palestinians.” However, his view represented a small minority in Parliament, with most MPs accepting the government’s argument about national security.
Four Palestine Action members – Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 – have been charged with conspiracy offences related to the RAF Brize Norton incident and await trial.
International Reaction
The proscription has drawn international attention, with protests reported outside British embassies in Holland and Denmark. Critics argue the UK is setting a dangerous precedent that could be replicated by other nations seeking to suppress protest movements under the guise of counter-terrorism.
Irish author Sally Rooney warned of the cultural impact, stating she would be “effectively prevented from speaking at any future public events in the UK” as she could not “disguise or lie about my principles in public.” She questioned whether bookshops would stock works by authors the Home Secretary had branded as supporting terrorism.
Palestine Action itself has accused the government of manufacturing a crisis to distract from British complicity in what it terms genocide in Gaza. The group maintains its actions are non-violent civil disobedience aimed at disrupting the arms trade with Israel.
Broader Implications
The use of terrorism legislation against Palestine Action has raised fundamental questions about the boundaries of legitimate protest in Britain. Legal experts warn the precedent could enable future governments to criminalise other forms of direct action, potentially affecting environmental protesters, trade unionists and other activists.
As protests continue despite mass arrests, the confrontation between civil disobedience and state power appears set to intensify. The High Court’s decision on Monday regarding Ammori’s judicial review application will be closely watched as a potential turning point in this unprecedented use of anti-terrorism powers against protest movements.
The government maintains the ban is necessary to protect national security and critical infrastructure, whilst protesters argue they are defending freedom of expression and the right to oppose what they view as British complicity in war crimes. With 120 arrests already made and more protests planned, this constitutional clash shows no signs of resolution.
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