The UK Metropolitan Police on Saturday arrested 523 people for supporting Palestine Action, a proscribed organization. Those arrested ranged in age from 18 to 87 years old.

Hundreds of people gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday to peacefully protest the ongoing classification of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the UK Terrorism Act 2000. Starting at 1 pm, demonstrators arrived at the square, where they proceeded to sit silently and hold signs showing support for the organisation. According to Defend Our Juries, the organizers behind the event, the arrests began shortly after commencement. An elderly pensioner was arrested, marking the first arrest of the day. By early evening, the police stated that Trafalgar Square had been cleared.

Defend Our Juries planned the demonstration to demand that the ban on Palestine Action be lifted, and that the Israeli assault on the Palestinian people be declared a genocide by the UK government. In their statement preparing for the event, Defend Our Juries drew attention to the almost 3000 people who have been arrested thus far for holding signs pronouncing support for Palestine Action, and reiterated that the High Court had ruled the proscription unlawful.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government classified Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July, 2025. Section 1(b) of the UK Terrorism Act 2000 defines terrorism as an action that involves serious property damage. Parliament can classify a group as a terrorist organization under Section 3 of the act for participating in or glorifying acts of terrorism.

In February, the UK High Court of Justice ruled that the Home Secretary acted unlawfully in designating Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation and ordered the decision to be quashed. The High Court ruled that the ban on the group’s activities should be lifted, resulting in the Metropolitan Police stopping arrests. However, at the end of February, the Home Secretary was granted leave to appeal the decision and the earlier decision to quash the ban was stayed. In effect, once the appeal was granted, the ban on Palestine Action returned. 

The arrests on Saturday bring the total number of people arrested for supporting Palestine Action to above 3000. In August 2025, 466 demonstrators were arrested at a protest at Westminster, drawing concern from rights groups. More than 500 of the over 3000 arrested have been charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act.

Defend Our Juries is an organization whose aims are to bring public attention to attempts at undermining trial by jury, to raise awareness of the right juries have to acquit people as a matter of moral conscience, and to ensure that all defendants have the opportunity to explain the motivation behind their actions.