Over 70 Arrested Across UK as Protests Erupt Against Palestine Action Terror Ban
More than 70 people were arrested across the United Kingdom on Saturday amid a second week of protests following the UK government’s decision to designate Palestine Action as a proscribed terrorist organization, Sky News reported.
In central London, the Metropolitan Police detained 42 demonstrators in Parliament Square, where activists stood silently beneath the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, holding cardboard signs that read: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Police were seen searching bags, checking identification, and escorting individuals to waiting vans. Of those arrested, 41 were detained for showing support for a proscribed group, with one additional arrest for common assault.
Similar arrests occurred across Manchester, Cardiff, and Leeds:
- Greater Manchester Police confirmed 16 arrests under the Terrorism Act 2000 during a protest in St Peter’s Square.
- South Wales Police reported 13 arrests in Cardiff’s Central Square, also under the same legislation.
- In Leeds, West Yorkshire Police made one arrest for suspected support of Palestine Action.
The recent proscription of Palestine Action makes membership or public support of the group a criminal offense, carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The ban was approved by Parliament on Thursday and upheld by the High Court in London the following day.
The government moved to outlaw the group after activists breached an air force base in southern England, defacing two aircraft with red paint in an act causing an estimated £7 million in damage.
Known for its aggressive campaigns against UK companies linked to Israel—particularly Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defense contractor—Palestine Action has also targeted symbolic figures and institutions. Past actions include:
- Defacing a painting of Lord Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge.
- Stealing two busts of Israel’s first president Chaim Weizmann from Manchester University.
Despite its ban, Palestine Action supporters vow to continue protesting, raising complex questions about the boundaries between political activism, civil disobedience, and terrorism under UK law.
