UK police arrest 466 at protest challenging Palestine Action ban

At least 466 people were arrested on Saturday during a large "Lift the Ban" protest outside the UK Parliament opposing the government’s recent ban on Palestine Action, a direct action group proscribed as a terrorist organisation last month, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square, many holding placards stating “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Police began making arrests shortly after 12:35 pm, with officers from across the country supporting the operation throughout the day. The scale of arrests exceeded those during the 1990 poll tax riots, which saw 339 detentions.

Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley had earlier pledged to arrest all participants in the demonstration, though some protesters holding placards were not detained due to police capacity limits.

The group was banned under anti-terror laws on July 4 following an incident where members entered the Royal Air Force Brize Norton base and spray-painted two planes alleged to be involved in military operations in Gaza and the Middle East. This marked the first time a direct action group has been officially designated as a terrorist organisation in the UK, with membership or support punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Since the ban, hundreds have been arrested at weekly protests organized by campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ), which says arrests under the Terrorism Act have become a “badge of honour” within their movement. DOJ warned that the mass detentions place a severe strain on the UK’s prison system, which is already operating near full capacity.

Saturday’s mass arrests have intensified calls for the government to reconsider the ban, amid fears it could suppress legitimate criticism of 'Israel' and restrict the right to protest.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk described the proscription as “disproportionate and unnecessary” and urged its reversal. Amnesty International also condemned the arrests, with UK Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh stating, “Arresting people on terrorism offences for peacefully holding a placard flies in the face of international human rights law.”

“During a time when people are rightfully outraged by the genocide they see in Gaza, it is more crucial than ever to protect peaceful protest,” Deshmukh added.

Leading academics, including Judith Butler, Tariq Ali, Angela Davis, Naomi Klein, Rashid Khalidi, Avi Shlaim, and Ilan Pappe, signed an open letter denouncing the ban as an “attack on fundamental freedoms.”

On July 30, the UK High Court ruled in favour of Palestine Action by granting the group a judicial review to challenge the ban.