On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the heart of London became the stage for one of the largest mass arrests in the city’s recent memory, as hundreds of protesters gathered in Parliament Square to defy the UK government’s ban on the group Palestine Action. The Metropolitan Police, bracing for what would become a historic day, arrested at least 466 people for publicly expressing support for the proscribed organization—a move that has ignited fierce debate about the boundaries of free speech, civil disobedience, and national security in Britain.
The demonstration, organized by Defend Our Juries, drew between 600 and 700 participants according to organizers, though police and onlookers noted that not everyone present was actively demonstrating. Protesters, some draped in Palestinian flags and others wearing black and white keffiyehs, held placards bearing messages such as “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action” and “Our right to non-violent protest.” The atmosphere was charged but largely peaceful, punctuated by chants of “hands off Gaza” and “shame on you” directed at the police as they moved through the crowd making arrests.
The UK government had banned Palestine Action on July 5, 2025, under the Terrorism Act 2000, following a high-profile incident in June in which activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire and caused an estimated £7 million (about $9.3 million) in damage to two Voyager aircraft. The Home Office justified the proscription by stating that the group “has orchestrated a nationwide campaign of direct criminal action against businesses and institutions,” and that it “prepares for, promotes, and encourages terrorism.” Alongside Palestine Action, two other groups described as “white-supremacist” organizations were also banned.
Under the new law, membership of or public support for Palestine Action is now a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The legislation is explicit: “A person commits an offence if the person expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation.” The Metropolitan Police made clear their intent, stating on social media, “Anyone who came to Parliament Square today to hold a placard expressing support for Palestine Action was either arrested or is in the process of being arrested.”
The crackdown was sweeping. Among those detained was an 89-year-old protester, as well as a blind man in a wheelchair—images of their arrests quickly circulated online, fueling outrage and further debate. Eight additional arrests were made for other offenses, including five for assaults on police officers, though no serious injuries were reported. By 9 p.m., the Met confirmed the number of arrests had reached 466, the largest single-day tally in the force’s last decade.
Critics of the government’s approach have been vocal and numerous. The United Nations, Amnesty International, and Greenpeace all condemned the ban and the subsequent arrests as a dangerous overreach. UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk described the proscription as “disproportionate and unnecessary,” adding, “It appears to constitute an impermissible restriction on those rights that is at odds with the UK’s obligations under international human rights law.” Amnesty International UK Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh echoed these concerns, writing to Met Police Chief Mark Rowley to urge restraint in policing those holding placards. “The protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence, and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of absurdity to be treating them as terrorists,” Deshmukh said. “We have long criticised UK terrorism law for being excessively broad and vaguely worded and a threat to freedom of expression.”
Defend Our Juries, the protest’s organizing group, framed the demonstration as an act of civil disobedience to “defend this country’s ancient liberties.” In a statement, the group said, “Unprecedented numbers have risked arrest and possible imprisonment to defend this country’s ancient liberties. We will keep going. Our numbers are already growing for the next wave of action in September.”
Individual protesters also spoke out, voicing frustration and disbelief at the government’s actions. Psychotherapist Craig Bell, 39, who was among those holding a placard, told AFP, “When you compare Palestine Action with an actual terrorist group who are killing civilians and taking lives, it’s just a joke that they’re being prescribed a terrorist group.” Another protester, Richard Bull, 42, a wheelchair user, said, “Let them arrest us all. This government has gone too far. I have nothing to feel ashamed of.”
Not everyone in the crowd was there to support Palestine Action. Counter-protesters, including Jan Bowman, a 69-year-old illustrator from Scotland, attended to express their concerns about anti-Semitism and to defend their own rights to free speech. “We have to stand up for free speech. They won’t allow it, they won’t debate,” Bowman said.
The government, for its part, has remained resolute. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the ban and the police response, telling Sky News, “The right to protest is one we protect fiercely but this is very different from displaying support for this one specific and narrow, proscribed organisation. Many people may not yet know the reality of this organisation, but the assessments are very clear—this is not a non-violent organisation. UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority.” A Home Office spokesperson emphasized, “The decision to proscribe was based on strong security advice and the unanimous recommendation by the expert cross-government proscription review group.”
Legal challenges are on the horizon. Palestine Action’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, recently secured permission to bring a legal challenge against the ban, with a UK court hearing scheduled for November. Until then, the law stands, and the Metropolitan Police have warned that “an arrest under the Terrorism Act can have very real long-term implications—from travel, to employment, to finances. Also, as we have seen this week, it is very likely an arrest in these circumstances will lead to a charge.”
The events in Parliament Square unfolded against a broader backdrop of unrest across the UK, with simultaneous anti-migrant protests and counter-demonstrations in cities from Bournemouth to Newcastle. In Nuneaton, police arrested a 17-year-old for making threats to cause criminal damage during a demonstration that saw scuffles and heavy police presence. In Bristol and other cities, authorities imposed special public order conditions and dispersal zones to prevent violence.
As the legal and political battles over protest, free speech, and national security continue, the events of August 9 have left a lasting mark on the UK’s public discourse. Whether viewed as a necessary defense of public safety or as an alarming erosion of civil liberties, the day’s mass arrests underscore the deep divisions—and the high stakes—at the heart of Britain’s ongoing debate over protest and dissent.