On a brisk Sunday afternoon in Liverpool, the usually festive atmosphere surrounding the Labour Party Conference took on a markedly different tone. At least 100 supporters of the recently banned direct action group Palestine Action gathered outside ACC Liverpool, determined to make their voices heard despite the looming threat of arrest. Their protest, organized by Defend Our Juries, was a bold response to the UK government’s decision in July to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act—a move that has sparked heated debate and drawn hundreds of demonstrators into the streets in recent weeks.
From 2:30 pm, the protestors, many clutching handwritten placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” took their places on the grass near one of Liverpool’s most recognizable landmarks, the Wheel of Liverpool. According to BBC, Merseyside Police were quick to act, arresting several individuals on suspicion of “wearing/carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation.” The arrests occurred in full view of the conference center, as Labour MPs, cabinet members, and delegates filed in for the event’s opening day.
Among the demonstrators was Keith Hackett, a 71-year-old former Labour councillor and lifelong Liverpool resident. Just weeks earlier, Hackett had been visited by police for displaying a sign in the window of his home that read the very same message as those on the protest placards. Merseyside Police told him that posting the sign inside his home was legal since it was not in public view, a clarification that only added to the confusion surrounding what is and isn’t permitted since the ban. Undeterred, Hackett joined the demonstration, stating, “If they want to start turning the party around and win back the support they have lost, they need to stop their complicity in this genocide and end the ban on Palestine Action.” (BBC)
Hackett wasn’t the only one willing to risk arrest. Tayo Aluko, aged 63, also stood among the crowd, reflecting on the historical significance of protest in the UK. “This is a time for bravery, as was shown by people who went before us, so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today, which are now under threat,” Aluko said, echoing a sentiment that resonated with many in attendance. (BBC)
The protest was far from an isolated event. According to The Telegraph, more than 1,500 people have been arrested since Palestine Action was banned in July, including elderly citizens, priests, vicars, retired healthcare workers, and teachers. The group’s proscription came after its supporters caused an estimated £7 million in damage to military jets at RAF Brize Norton. Former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who enacted the ban, justified the move by stating that some supporters “don’t know the full nature” of the group. The new Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, was set to give her first conference speech the following day, with the controversy still fresh in the public’s mind.
Supporting or even displaying support for a proscribed organization in the UK is no small matter. The Terrorism Act stipulates that such an offense can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that everyone arrested under the Act will be investigated by its Counter Terrorism Command, and the force has been working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to expedite charging decisions. This legal backdrop has done little to deter activists. In fact, it seems to have galvanized them.
Earlier in October, a mass “Lift the Ban” protest in Westminster led to nearly 900 arrests, as reported by The Telegraph. Defend Our Juries claims that more than 1,100 people have already registered to participate in the next demonstration, scheduled for October 4 in Parliament Square, with at least 1,500 expected to attend. “Labour members and trade unions are against their party’s ban on Palestine Action,” a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said. “Yet party officials have shut down all the debates that members wanted to have on these issues during their conference. Defend Our Juries will bring the ‘Lift The Ban’ campaign to the door of the party that continues to deny genocide and has banned the direct action group that was trying to prevent it.” (The Telegraph)
The protests in Liverpool were not without tension. Police had to separate the Palestine Action supporters from a group of about 200 counter-protesters waving Union Jack and St George’s flags and carrying placards opposing the government’s digital ID plans. The two groups, though focused on different issues, found themselves in a stand-off, with officers forming a human buffer to prevent clashes. The pro-Palestinian demonstrators, however, remained focused on their cause, clapping and cheering for those arrested—some of whom were carried away by multiple officers, as described by BBC.
The legal battle over the ban is ongoing. Palestine Action’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, was granted permission in July to appeal the group’s proscription, arguing that the ban infringes on the right to free speech. The Home Office has since been given permission to challenge a ruling that allowed this appeal, but a judge refused to temporarily lift the ban, which remains in place pending a full review at the High Court in November. The outcome of this legal challenge could have significant implications for protest rights and the definition of terrorism in the UK.
For many in the Labour Party, the issue is deeply divisive. Some members and trade unions have expressed opposition to the ban, frustrated by what they see as the party leadership’s unwillingness to engage in open debate. Others argue that the government’s actions are necessary to prevent criminal activity and protect national security, pointing to the damage caused at RAF Brize Norton as evidence of the group’s dangerous tactics.
As the dust settles on the first day of the Labour Party Conference, one thing is clear: the question of Palestine Action’s status, and the broader debate over protest and free speech in the UK, is far from resolved. The coming weeks promise more demonstrations, more legal wrangling, and, for many activists, a continued willingness to risk personal freedom for what they see as a just cause. Whether the government’s hard line will quell the movement or only fuel its resolve remains to be seen, but for now, the streets outside ACC Liverpool have become the latest battleground in a conflict that shows no sign of fading away.
