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A specialist police officer surveys a huge banner in support of Palestine Action before taking it down in London on July 22, 2025.
(Photo: Lab Mo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
After Initial Arrests, As Many As 1,000 Ready to Defend Palestine Action in London Saturday
"There's now a risk of unprecedented mass arrest of protesters shredding this country's reputation for tolerance and civil liberties," said one member of Parliament.
Aug 08, 2025
After police in London arrested more than two dozen people last month for publicly expressing support for the nonviolent direct action group Palestine Action, hundreds more have signaled they won't be intimidated by the U.K. ban on protesting on behalf of the organization—committing to risk arrest at another demonstration scheduled for Saturday.
The group Defend Our Juries (DOJ) said this week that as many as 1,000 people have signed up to participate in a rally in Parliament Square to demand the government reverse its decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group, which it announced in June.
DOJ said it would move forward with the event if at least 500 people committed to showing up.
Under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act of 2000, the House of Commons voted 385-26 last month in favor of banning Palestine Action, and the House of Lords approved the move without a vote.
The law dictates that joining or supporting the group, which is nonviolent and has been accused of vandalizing planes at a military base, is akin to supporting violent armed groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Those who support Palestine Action can face up to 14 years in prison.
On Thursday, three people were formally charged for allegedly showing support for a terrorist group, following their attendance at last month's protest where they demanded the terrorist designation be rescinded.
The Metropolitan Police said Friday that it plans to make mass arrests at the Parliament Square protest planned for Saturday.
As they did in July, supporters plan to display signs reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
John McDonnell, a member of Parliament for the Labour Party, said he had asked Home Secretary Yvette Cooper "what guidance had been given" to police by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, and had not received an answer.
Ahead of the planned protest, said McDonnell, "there's now a risk of unprecedented mass arrest of protesters shredding this country's reputation for tolerance and civil liberties."
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After police in London arrested more than two dozen people last month for publicly expressing support for the nonviolent direct action group Palestine Action, hundreds more have signaled they won't be intimidated by the U.K. ban on protesting on behalf of the organization—committing to risk arrest at another demonstration scheduled for Saturday.
The group Defend Our Juries (DOJ) said this week that as many as 1,000 people have signed up to participate in a rally in Parliament Square to demand the government reverse its decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group, which it announced in June.
DOJ said it would move forward with the event if at least 500 people committed to showing up.
Under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act of 2000, the House of Commons voted 385-26 last month in favor of banning Palestine Action, and the House of Lords approved the move without a vote.
The law dictates that joining or supporting the group, which is nonviolent and has been accused of vandalizing planes at a military base, is akin to supporting violent armed groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Those who support Palestine Action can face up to 14 years in prison.
On Thursday, three people were formally charged for allegedly showing support for a terrorist group, following their attendance at last month's protest where they demanded the terrorist designation be rescinded.
The Metropolitan Police said Friday that it plans to make mass arrests at the Parliament Square protest planned for Saturday.
As they did in July, supporters plan to display signs reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
John McDonnell, a member of Parliament for the Labour Party, said he had asked Home Secretary Yvette Cooper "what guidance had been given" to police by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, and had not received an answer.
Ahead of the planned protest, said McDonnell, "there's now a risk of unprecedented mass arrest of protesters shredding this country's reputation for tolerance and civil liberties."
After police in London arrested more than two dozen people last month for publicly expressing support for the nonviolent direct action group Palestine Action, hundreds more have signaled they won't be intimidated by the U.K. ban on protesting on behalf of the organization—committing to risk arrest at another demonstration scheduled for Saturday.
The group Defend Our Juries (DOJ) said this week that as many as 1,000 people have signed up to participate in a rally in Parliament Square to demand the government reverse its decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group, which it announced in June.
DOJ said it would move forward with the event if at least 500 people committed to showing up.
Under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act of 2000, the House of Commons voted 385-26 last month in favor of banning Palestine Action, and the House of Lords approved the move without a vote.
The law dictates that joining or supporting the group, which is nonviolent and has been accused of vandalizing planes at a military base, is akin to supporting violent armed groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Those who support Palestine Action can face up to 14 years in prison.
On Thursday, three people were formally charged for allegedly showing support for a terrorist group, following their attendance at last month's protest where they demanded the terrorist designation be rescinded.
The Metropolitan Police said Friday that it plans to make mass arrests at the Parliament Square protest planned for Saturday.
As they did in July, supporters plan to display signs reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
John McDonnell, a member of Parliament for the Labour Party, said he had asked Home Secretary Yvette Cooper "what guidance had been given" to police by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, and had not received an answer.
Ahead of the planned protest, said McDonnell, "there's now a risk of unprecedented mass arrest of protesters shredding this country's reputation for tolerance and civil liberties."
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