London police arrested more than 200 people on Saturday during a protest in Parliament Square against the government’s recent ban on Palestine Action, a direct-action network targeting companies linked to Israel’s military, reported by Al Jazeera News. The group was designated a “terrorist organization” last month under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, making membership or public support a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests were for “showing support for a proscribed organization” and vowed to detain anyone doing so. Activists say the ban is part of a wider effort to suppress pro-Palestinian demonstrations, particularly amid Israel’s war on Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego, reporting from the scene, noted that supporters risked arrest for something as simple as wearing a t-shirt or holding a sign declaring “I support Palestine Action.”
Since the ban came into effect in July, more than 200 people have been detained nationwide during a wave of protests rejecting the move. An open letter signed this week by over 350 academics worldwide—including Israeli historian Ilan Pappé and political theorist Michael Hardt—praised what they called a “growing campaign of collective defiance” and warned of chilling effects on academic freedom.
Amnesty International UK condemned the arrests, saying they violate international obligations to protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Palestine Action has built its reputation on targeting factories, offices, and transport hubs tied to Israel’s arms industry, often using red paint to symbolize Palestinian bloodshed. The government’s decision to outlaw the group followed a June incident in which activists broke into a military airbase and damaged two Airbus Voyager aircraft, which they claim have refueled Israeli fighter jets.
A separate march organized by the Palestine Coalition also took place in London on Saturday, resulting in one arrest for displaying a banner in support of Palestine Action.
For its part, the group insists it is exposing Britain’s complicity in what it calls Israeli war crimes in Gaza—where tens of thousands have been killed since October 2023 under Israeli bombardment and blockade.
