Police arrested more than 425 people in Westminster on Saturday during a mass protest against the government’s decision to outlaw the activist group Palestine Action. Parliament Square filled with demonstrators holding placards and paper signs in defiance of the ban, despite repeated warnings that such displays could lead to prosecution. The Metropolitan Police said most arrests were for showing support for a proscribed organisation, while others were detained for alleged assaults on officers and public order offences. Organisers accused police of heavy-handed tactics and claimed peaceful protesters, including pensioners, were pushed to the ground. The protest has reignited debate over how far anti-terror laws should be used to police dissent.
Police and Protesters Clash in Westminster
The demonstration began shortly after 1pm as Big Ben struck. Protesters, many of them pensioners, raised signs declaring solidarity with Palestine Action. Within minutes, police started making arrests, targeting those holding placards. Witnesses said some demonstrators followed instructions from organisers to go “floppy,” forcing officers to carry them to vans as crowds shouted “shame on you.” The Met later said officers were subjected to “punches, kicks, spitting and objects being thrown.” Protest organisers rejected that claim, accusing police of violence against peaceful campaigners. Footage circulated on social media appeared to show an officer shoving an elderly protester to the ground, adding to the tension.
Why Palestine Action Was Banned
Palestine Action, which has staged direct action protests against arms manufacturers, was proscribed in July under the Terrorism Act. The move made it a criminal offence to belong to or publicly support the group, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The Home Office said the ban was necessary because of the group’s “serious criminal activity.” Civil liberties campaigners argued it was a dangerous overreach that risked criminalising political activism. Earlier this week, ministers secured permission to challenge a court ruling allowing the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, to appeal the ban. That legal fight remains unresolved.
Defiance on the Streets
Organisers estimated that about 1,500 people took part in the Westminster protest. Margaret, 79, who travelled from Dorset, said she felt compelled to join: “The law is ridiculous. We’re called terrorists, and it’s absolutely stupid.” Veteran environmentalist Sir Jonathon Porritt, once an adviser to King Charles when he was Prince of Wales, was also among those gathered. “I’m sick to the heart with what is going on in Gaza,” he said. “I’m outraged at the government’s direct complicity and I want to see them held to account.” Younger campaigners also said they were prepared to risk convictions under terrorism laws.
Rights Groups Voice Alarm
Amnesty International described the arrests as “genuinely shocking,” saying the sight of people being detained for holding signs was a serious concern. In Edinburgh, Police Scotland arrested two people at a smaller solidarity protest. Saturday’s demonstration followed a similar action in August, when more than 500 people were arrested in London. Figures from that protest showed the average age of those detained was 54, with the largest group in their sixties. Among them was Mike Higgins, 62, a blind man in a wheelchair, who returned this weekend knowing he might be detained again. “Nothing is being done about the genocide other than by us,” he told reporters. “And I’m a terrorist? That’s the joke.”
What Comes Next in the Debate
The protest coincided with political changes in Westminster. Yvette Cooper, the former home secretary who defended the ban, was moved to the Foreign Office in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday. Campaigners called on her successor to review what they described as a “disastrous” policy. Ministers, however, insist the ban is necessary to stop disruptive and unlawful direct action. With further protests planned and legal challenges pending, the row over Palestine Action’s status looks set to continue, keeping the balance between protest rights and counter-terror legislation firmly in the spotlight.
