People planning to attend an upcoming protest backing the anti-Israel group Palestine Action could be arrested for expressing support for the group, the Metropolitan Police Service in London warned on Wednesday.
The United Kingdom government proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in June 2025, and the Court of Appeal upheld the proscription in July 2026.
Police stated that the activist group Defend Our Juries plans to hold a protest on Thursday in support of Palestine Action outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where proceedings had been scheduled for those accused of expressing support for the group before being postponed.
“Expressing support for proscribed organizations is a criminal offence, and anyone doing so can expect to be arrested,” stated Andy Valentine, deputy assistant commissioner for the Metropolitan Police. “There are any number of ways to express views on the humanitarian situation in Gaza or on Israeli military action that don’t involve criminality.”
“Doing otherwise is an intentional decision and one which has a detrimental impact on the public, court staff, victims and witnesses attending court and those trying to go about their lawful business in the local area,” he added. “The fact that there are no hearings related to Palestine Action taking place at the court tomorrow makes the decision to continue with this event all the more nonsensical.”
