London’s Metropolitan Police arrested over 466 people at a protest in Parliament Square on August 9, 2025, against the British government’s decision to ban the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws.
The ban, introduced in July, makes it a crime to be a member of or support Palestine Action, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
466 people were arrested for supporting a proscribed organization, with eight additional arrests for other offenses, including five for alleged assaults on police officers.
Demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square, chanting “shame on you” at police and holding placards that read “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”.
The Metropolitan Police stated that anyone showing support for Palestine Action would be arrested, and those detained would be bailed with conditions not to attend further protests supporting the group.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the ban, citing strong security advice and an assessment from the Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre that Palestine Action prepares for terrorism.
The ban was introduced after Palestine Action members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged planes in June 2025, with the government accusing the group of extremist threats.
Palestine Action accuses the British government of complicity in alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies, casting its actions as self-defense.
Critics, including Amnesty International and the United Nations, argue that the ban infringes on freedom of speech and assembly, with some protesters vowing to continue their actions.
