On August 9, 2025, London’s Metropolitan Police arrested over 460 individuals during a demonstration in Parliament Square supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action. The protest, organized by Defend Our Juries, drew approximately 500 to 600 participants, many holding placards stating, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/d52ab490-dceb-4e67-b245-59283a02cc7b?utm_source=openai))
The UK government designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000, following incidents where activists damaged military aircraft at a Royal Air Force base to protest Britain’s support for Israel. Under this legislation, membership or support for the group is now a criminal offense, carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-more-than-365-protest-banned-palestine-action-group-2025-08-09/?utm_source=openai))
During the protest, the Metropolitan Police invoked Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, granting officers the authority to require the removal of masks and face coverings used to conceal identity. The majority of those arrested were detained for showing support for a proscribed organization, with additional arrests made for offenses including assaults on police officers. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-more-than-365-protest-banned-palestine-action-group-2025-08-09/?utm_source=openai))
Critics have raised concerns about the implications of the ban and subsequent arrests on civil liberties. Amnesty International UK condemned the mass arrests, stating that detaining peaceful protesters solely for holding signs constitutes a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. ([news.sky.com](https://news.sky.com/story/police-make-arrests-at-protest-in-support-of-proscribed-group-palestine-action-13409027?utm_source=openai))
The UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, defended the government’s decision, emphasizing that the proscription was based on strong security advice and an assessment from the Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre that the group prepares for terrorism. She distinguished between supporting Palestinian rights and supporting a banned group involved in violent actions. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/d52ab490-dceb-4e67-b245-59283a02cc7b?utm_source=openai))
Palestine Action has announced plans to challenge the designation in court, with co-founder Huda Ammori recently winning the right to legally contest the ban. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-more-than-365-protest-banned-palestine-action-group-2025-08-09/?utm_source=openai))
The mass arrests have sparked a broader debate on the balance between national security and the right to protest, with legal experts and human rights organizations calling for a reassessment of the measures employed against demonstrators.