British authorities have confirmed the arrest of sixty-six demonstrators in Liverpool following a protest in support of Palestine Action, an organisation outlawed under the Terrorism Act earlier this year. The incident has intensified discussions in the United Kingdom about the boundaries of political expression, security, and solidarity with Palestine.
According to organisers from Defend Our Juries, around one hundred people assembled outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Sunday. Protesters were reported to have stood silently, holding placards with the message:
“I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”
Merseyside Police stated that the individuals arrested were between the ages of twenty-one and eighty-three. They were detained on suspicion of terrorism offences for allegedly showing support for the banned group. Officers later confirmed that two people were de-arrested, while the rest were taken into custody before being released on bail.
Powerful speech by independent MP candidate Ann San during a protest in Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/jmvSJOxeHE
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) May 29, 2025
Palestine Action was formally proscribed in June after members of the group entered a military base and spray-painted two aircraft in red as a symbolic act against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Since the ban, supporters have staged numerous demonstrations across the UK to challenge the ruling.
The organisation’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, launched a High Court application in an attempt to suspend the ban. The court rejected the bid, prompting Ammori’s lawyer to argue that the ruling amounted to
“an ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian abuse of statutory power.”
The failed challenge has left campaigners questioning whether peaceful protest is now being criminalised under terrorism legislation.
Around 100 people showed up in Liverpool
with posters reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Police have began arresting people under the ‘terrorism act’ pic.twitter.com/7K7lUjBulA— WearThePeace (@WearThePeaceCo) September 28, 2025
The Liverpool protest is part of a broader surge of anti-Israel demonstrations across Europe and beyond. September saw an estimated fifty thousand people march in Berlin against the Israel-Hamas war. Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Italy expressed solidarity with Palestinians, while rallies in Paris and other French cities featured Palestinian flags and calls for sanctions against Israel.
This global mobilisation has been fuelled by mounting casualties in Gaza. According to local authorities there, more than 66,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since Israel began its military operations in response to the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023.
The unrest has coincided with significant diplomatic shifts. Several countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, have formally recognised the State of Palestine in recent months. With these additions, approximately 159 of the United Nations’ 193 member states now acknowledge Palestine as a state.
These developments have added momentum to international debates over how governments should respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and whether further recognition could influence the trajectory of the conflict.
The Liverpool arrests have drawn attention to the delicate balance between national security and the right to protest. Critics argue that the use of terrorism legislation against peaceful demonstrators risks chilling legitimate dissent. Supporters of the ban insist that direct action linked to security threats cannot be ignored.
The situation remains tense, and as protests continue across Europe, questions persist about how democratic societies should navigate the intersection of public safety, international solidarity, and freedom of expression.
