On August 15, 2025, Londons Metropolitan Police announced that at least 60 more people will face prosecution for showing support for Palestine Action, the activist group that was banned as a terrorist organization last month. This latest round of prosecutions comes after a dramatic surge in arrests: since the groups proscription in early July, more than 700 individuals have been detained at protests across the capital, including an unprecedented 522 arrests at a single demonstration last weekend. According to the Metropolitan Police, this marks the largest number of arrests at a single protest in Londons recent history.
The UK government formally proscribed Palestine Action on July 5, 2025, after the group claimed responsibility for damaging jets at RAF Brize Nortonan incident that reportedly resulted in a37 million ($9.3 million) in damages to two aircraft. The Home Office also linked the group to allegations of serious assaults on staff and police officers at a business premises in South Gloucestershire. With the ban, membership in or support for Palestine Action became a criminal offense under the Terrorism Act, carrying a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a host of other consequences, including restrictions on travel, employment, and professional accreditation.
In the weeks since the ban, the Metropolitan Police, Counter Terrorism Policing, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and the Attorney Generals Office have worked closely to process the flood of case files. Authorities have made it clear that more prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks. We have put arrangements in place that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary, the police said in a statement quoted by AFP. If necessary, we are able to investigate and quickly charge significant numbers of people each week if people want the potentially life-changing consequences of a terrorist conviction, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley added, according to BBC.
Despite the crackdown, the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause remains protectedso long as demonstrators do not cross the line into illegal support for the proscribed group. Last weekend, for example, 15,000 people rallied peacefully in central London for Palestine with only one arrest, even as hundreds were detained for openly supporting Palestine Action. There is a difference between showing support for a proscribed organisationan offence under the Terrorism Actand legitimate protest in support of a cause, the Metropolitan Police emphasized in a public statement.
Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, underscored the gravity of the situation. The decisions that we have announced today are the first significant numbers to come out of the recent protests, and many more can be expected in the next few weeks. We are ready to make swift decisions in all cases where arrests have been made, Parkinson said, as reported by BBC. He continued, The public has a democratic right to protest peacefully in this country, and I understand the depth of feeling around the horrific scenes in Gaza. However, Palestine Action is now a proscribed terrorist organisation and those who have chosen to break the law will be subject to criminal proceedings under the Terrorism Act.
Parkinson also warned of the real-world implications of a terrorism conviction, which can severely impact your life and career, including restrictions on travel to countries such as the US, Australia, Japan, and, from 2026, EU member states. Employment and university admissions could also be jeopardized, as a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) record of a terrorism conviction may be seen by employers or educational institutions as grounds for refusal or dismissal. I urge people to think very carefully about their actions at protests. Anyone who chooses to disobey the law will have to face the consequences, he concluded.
The governments decision to proscribe Palestine Action has not gone unchallenged. Critics, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and the UKs Liberal Democrats, have expressed deep concern that the ban and subsequent prosecutions risk stifling free speech and the right to protest. The UKs Equality and Human Rights Commission has urged authorities to ensure that policing of protests remains proportionate and guided by clear legal tests, warning against a heavy-handed approach.
Home Office Minister Yvette Cooper defended the Labour governments decision, stating, UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority. The assessments are very clear, this is not a non-violent organisation. The Home Office has accused Palestine Action of engaging in serious attacks involving violence, significant injuries, and extensive criminal damage. For its part, Palestine Action insists its actions are designed to disrupt what it describes as the UKs indirect military support for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The context for these developments is a groundswell of public protest in the UK. Over the past two years, hundreds of thousands have marched in cities across the country, calling for an end to Israels war on Gaza and demanding that the British government halt all weapons sales to Israel. The vast majority of these demonstrations have been peaceful and have not resulted in mass arrests for supporting proscribed organizations. The governments move to ban Palestine Action, however, has injected new controversy into the debate over the boundaries of protest and the use of anti-terrorism powers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, responding to growing public pressure and international scrutiny, announced last month that the UK will recognize the state of Palestine by September 2025 unless Israel takes substantive steps to end the war in Gaza and commits to a lasting peace process. But for many activists and those protesting to end Palestinian suffering, this promise is seen as too little, too late.
The legal distinction between legitimate protest and illegal support for a proscribed group has become a flashpoint. As the Metropolitan Police explained, These arrests and prosecutions do not outlaw peoples right to demonstrate in support of Palestine, or any other cause. They are simply the enforcement of a specific provision under the Terrorism Act in relation to a specific proscribed terrorist organisation, Palestine Action. Where officers see these offences, we will continue to make arrests and, as shown today, the CPS and police will work to quickly secure charges, at whatever scale is necessary.
The consequences for those convicted under the Terrorism Act are severe and far-reaching. In addition to potential imprisonment, a terrorism conviction can appear on criminal records checked by employers and universities, affect professional accreditation, and restrict international travel. For many, the risk is a stark reminder of the high stakes involved in crossing the legal line when protesting for a cause.
As the government, police, and prosecutors prepare for more cases in the coming weeks, the debate over protest rights, public safety, and counter-terrorism powers is set to intensify. With passions running high on all sides, the UK faces a crucial test of its commitment to both security and civil liberties.
For those on the streets and in government offices alike, the coming months will reveal just how far the country is willing to go to balance the right to protest with the imperative of national security.