Police on Saturday arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian activists throughout the United Kingdom, after protesters rallied across the country in violation of the country’s Terrorism Act (2000).
Defend Our Juries, an NGO supportive of anti-Israel initiatives, said that more than 40 individuals were arrested in London.
“The Metropolitan Police were out in force again today, arresting more than 40 people in Parliament Square for holding signs opposed to genocide and supporting Palestine Action,” a Defend Our Juries spokesman told AFP.
He called the government’s ban of Palestine Action as a proscribed terrorist organization, instituted on July 5, “Orwellian,” AFP added.
The Metropolitan Police tweeted, “Officers have made 41 arrests for showing support for a proscribed organisation. One person has been arrested for common assault. The area was cleared within the last hour.”
Officers have made 41 arrests for showing support for a proscribed organisation.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) July 12, 2025
One person has been arrested for common assault.
The area was cleared within the last hour.
Two small groups of protesters sat beneath the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in Parliament Square to express support for Palestine Action, Scottish newspaper The National reported.
In an earlier X post, the Met warned protesters that “Palestine Action is now proscribed by the UK Government and it is a criminal offence to invite or express support for a proscribed organization. As we saw last week, those who do breach the law will face action.”
Defend Our Juries listed in a series of tweets the number of people arrested throughout the United Kingdom. “At least 10” were arrested in Derry, North of Ireland, the group reported.
BREAKING IN CARDIFF (Caerdydd) - Police are moving in on a group of 13 people who are sat outside the BBC Cymru HQ.
— Defend Our Juries (@DefendOurJuries) July 12, 2025
The group are holding signs with “I OPPOSE GENOCIDE - I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION” written on them.
46 arrests have already taken place in London for the same act. pic.twitter.com/UVhCtFd2CL
An activist wearing a shirt that read, “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action” was arrested in Glasgow, according to The National.
“A 55-year-old man was charged in connection with an offense under the Terrorism Act for wearing a T-shirt expressing support for a proscribed organization. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal,” a police spokesperson was cited as saying by The National.
(A procurator fiscal is a public prosecutor in Scotland who has the power to impose fines.)
This was the second consecutive week in which protesters were detained for showing support for the banned group.
On July 6, police detained 29 individuals in London.
The demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square hours after the British government banned Palestine Action and designated it a terrorist organization.
The detainees held signs reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” The Telegraph reported.
The Home Office proscribed Palestine Action following a vote in the House of Commons, where the banning was passed 385–26. The House of Lords also backed the ban, and the Court of Appeal in London on July 4 rejected an appeal to block the ban.
The decision to ban Palestine Action followed vandalism by its members of two Voyager refueling planes at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20 by spraying paint into their engines, resulting in about $9.5 million in damage.
The proscription means that membership of or support for the group is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
