Police in London announced on Saturday that they had arrested 41 people demonstrating in support of the banned group Palestine Action during a protest outside the British parliament.
One additional individual was detained for common assault.
The arrests follow the UK government’s recent decision to officially designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under anti-terrorism laws. The move came after members of the group broke into a Royal Air Force base earlier this month, damaging aircraft in protest against Britain’s support for Israel.
“Officers have made 41 arrests for showing support for a proscribed organisation,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement posted on social media.
Similar protests have taken place in other parts of the UK. In Manchester, police made arrests at a demonstration supporting Palestine Action, while additional protests occurred in Cardiff and Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the arrests in London, around 50 demonstrators gathered near a statue of Nelson Mandela outside parliament, holding placards with messages including “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
The protest comes amid an ongoing case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The conflict escalated following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has firmly denied the allegations.
By outlawing Palestine Action, the UK government has placed it alongside groups such as Hamas, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. Membership or active support for a proscribed organisation carries a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Critics of the decision argue that applying anti-terrorism legislation to a group engaged in civil disobedience sets a troubling precedent.
Founded as a pro-Palestinian direct action network, Palestine Action has regularly targeted businesses linked to Israel, particularly defence firm Elbit Systems. Activists have frequently disrupted operations by blocking entrances, spraying red paint, and damaging equipment at company facilities. Photo by Alisdare Hickson from Woolwich, United Kingdom, Wikimedia commons.