More than 200 arrests at Palestine Action protest

More than 200 people have been arrested so far during a demonstration against the ban on Palestine Action in central London, the Metropolitan Police have said.

The force said it had made the arrests when people showed support for a proscribed organisation.

Hundreds gathered in Trafalgar Square, with many carrying signs in support of the group reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" which have been seen at previous protests organised by the group.

Saturday's protest, named Everyone Day, had been called by Defend our Juries, who said the event would demonstrate the "unwaning resistance to the ban on Palestine Action".

Placards with other slogans were also displayed, with some demonstrators declaring their support for defending the right to protest and displaying their opposition to the US and Israel.

Supporting Palestine Action became illegal in July 2025 after the government banned it under anti-terror legislation.

The ban was ruled unlawful in February, but remained in place pending an appeal.

Following the High Court judgement on the ban, the Met had indicated that its officers would be unlikely to make arrests. But in March, it said it would resume arresting protesters for supporting Palestine Action.

Ahead of Saturday's demonstration, the Met Police issued a statement warning of "criminal offences", and urging people to reflect on the "potential consequences" of attending.

"Those attending should be aware that showing support for a proscribed organisation is an offence under the Terrorism Act, and we will not hesitate to act where the law is broken," said commander Claire Smart, who is leading policing operations in London this weekend.

Some of those attending the demonstration told BBC News said they were willing to run the risk of arrest.

Among those who did end up arrested was Robert Del Naja, founding member of the band Massive Attack, who had earlier told PA News he wanted to attend the protest because he thought police "making that U-turn to arrest people again" was "ridiculous".

He said he felt confident that if arrested, he could stand up in court with the right guidance and say "this was an unlawful arrest and, therefore, I don't accept it".

Del Naja, whose Bristol-based trip hop collective is best known for the classic 1990s hit Unfinished Sympathy, added: "I think that the actions of Palestine Action were highly patriotic because they were pretty much protecting our country from getting involved in serious war crimes, and breaking international law. How much more patriotic can you be than that?"

A fellow demonstrator, Linda Walker, said she had decided to come down to the protest because "there's been a genocide going on for the last two-and-a-half years".

"The only people [the government] are willing to take action against are the people trying to stop it," she said.

Israel has regularly denied that its actions in Gaza amounted to genocide and said they were justified as a means of self-defence.

Another demonstrator told the BBC she had been arrested 10 times before and expected the same outcome.

At 16:50 BST, the Metropolitan Police said it made 212 arrests, and these were continuing "where people are showing support for a proscribed organisation."

More than 2,200 people have been arrested so far for allegedly expressing support for Palestine Action since it was banned under the Terrorism Act 2000 last summer by then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The trials of hundreds of people accused of holding up the placards have been put on hold while the legal battle over whether the group should have been banned continues.