Demonstrations took place across the UK this weekend as part of a campaign by Defend Our Juries against the banning of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The Metropolitan police arrested 55 people in London’s Parliament Square for displaying placards supporting the group, while nine more were arrested at a separate march to Whitehall.
Protesters claim they are being silenced and that the government is complicit in Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. A woman detained in Parliament Square said: “We demand Palestine Action be de-proscribed. Our government is not only arming a genocide, but using terrorism laws to silence people who speak out.”
Police arrested 16 more in Greater Manchester, 17 in Bristol, and eight at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall. Despite claims of a peaceful demonstration, some protesters were still detained for displaying “contrary to the law” placards.
The co-founder of Palestine Action will challenge the home secretary’s decision to ban the group at a high court hearing next week. Critics including UN experts, civil liberties groups and lawyers have condemned the ban as draconian, setting a precedent that conflates protest with terrorism.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jul/19/palestine-action-protests-uk-london-arrests