Hendra Wijaya
More than 50 individuals were taken into custody by British police on Sunday during a demonstration supporting the banned activist group Palestine Action, held just outside the venue of the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool, a major city in northwest England. The arrests mark a significant escalation in the ongoing civil disobedience campaign that has followed the government's decision to outlaw the organization last year.
Merseyside Police, the local law enforcement agency responsible for the area, confirmed the arrests in an official statement. According to authorities, those detained had displayed material expressing support for Palestine Action, which the Labour government proscribed as a "terrorist" organization in July 2025 under the United Kingdom's Terrorism Act. The protest was organized by Defend Our Juries, a group that has been at the forefront of opposing the ban.
The police statement emphasized that officers respected the rights of individuals to protest lawfully while simultaneously working to maintain public order and ensure safety. This framing reflects the delicate balance UK authorities claim to strike between upholding civil liberties and enforcing counterterrorism legislation that critics argue is being applied too broadly.
The demonstration unfolded with more than 250 protesters seated outside the conference center, holding banners and signs conveying messages of support for Palestine Action. The atmosphere shifted when dozens of police officers began approaching the seated demonstrators. Officers reportedly asked individuals whether they intended to continue holding up the signs before leading them away and informing them they were being arrested under the Terrorism Act.
Al Jazeera correspondent Milena Veselinovic, reporting from Liverpool, indicated that the protesters' primary objective was to place the proscription of Palestine Action "front and centre" of the agenda on the first day of the annual conference led by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The timing of the demonstration was clearly strategic, designed to maximize visibility and pressure on the governing party as it gathered for its most significant internal event of the year.
One protester who spoke to Al Jazeera framed the personal consequences of arrest as insignificant compared to the suffering of civilians in Gaza. The individual described being arrested as worthwhile because the action was fundamentally about defending the right to free speech. This sentiment underscores the moral calculus that many demonstrators appear to be making, weighing legal jeopardy against what they perceive as a higher ethical obligation.
Another protester highlighted the diverse composition of the crowd, noting the presence of priests and healthcare workers among those demonstrating. This observation was offered to counter characterizations of the protesters as fringe activists, instead presenting them as ordinary citizens deeply concerned with matters of right and wrong. The comment reflects a broader effort by organizers to emphasize the mainstream nature of opposition to the proscription.
Kerry Moscogiuri, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, issued a strong condemnation of the arrests. She described protesting as "one of the most effective tools" available to citizens seeking to make government leaders listen to their concerns. Moscogiuri characterized the police action as "a truly shameful attack on freedom of speech," language that carries significant weight given Amnesty International's global standing as a human rights watchdog.
Moscogiuri further challenged the newly installed prime minister, asking whether he would reform the laws so that communities are protected when coming together to demonstrate on issues they care about. Her question was pointed: "Will he do so?" This direct appeal places pressure on Burnham's government to reconsider the legal framework that has enabled the arrests of thousands of individuals since the ban was enacted.
In a separate incident during the conference's opening day, activists confronted Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband inside a restaurant in Liverpool. The activists demanded that he lift the ban on Palestine Action and formally declare that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. According to reports, the activists departed after Miliband declined to comment on their demands, a response that is likely to further frustrate campaigners seeking political engagement on the issue.
The proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025 has catalyzed a sustained campaign of civil disobedience across the United Kingdom. Official figures indicate that more than 3,600 people have been arrested for demonstrating support for the group, frequently while holding signs bearing the slogan, "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." The sheer scale of these arrests suggests a widespread and organized resistance to the government's position.
The legal context of the ban has been contested. A UK court previously ruled that proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was lawful, a decision that disappointed human rights advocates but affirmed the government's authority to designate groups under the Terrorism Act. The court's ruling, however, has not diminished the intensity of public opposition or the willingness of activists to risk arrest.
The Labour Party conference in Liverpool represents a critical moment for Prime Minister Burnham's leadership, as he navigates internal divisions over the government's approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict and its handling of domestic dissent. The pro-Palestine protests outside the venue serve as a visible reminder of the tensions within the party's base, particularly among left-wing members who have historically been vocal on Palestinian rights.
The arrests also raise broader questions about the state of free speech and assembly rights in the United Kingdom. Legal experts and civil liberties organizations have warned that the expansive application of terrorism legislation to protest activity risks chilling legitimate political expression. The government maintains that such measures are necessary to address genuine security threats, but the growing number of arrests for symbolic acts of solidarity suggests a widening gap between official policy and public sentiment.
As the conference continues, the government faces mounting pressure from human rights groups, protesters, and international observers to reconsider its stance. Whether the arrests outside the Liverpool conference center will prompt any shift in policy remains uncertain, but the images of police leading away seated demonstrators are likely to intensify the debate over the balance between security and civil liberties in contemporary Britain.
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