Full Breakdown
Protests and Arrests Outside UK Labour Conference Highlight Ongoing Tension Over Palestine Action Ban
By Drooid · · How we work
The Arrests at Liverpool Labour Conference
Police said the arrests were made under the Terrorism Act because the protesters displayed material supporting the proscribed group. The force reported more than 50 people taken into custody, while a separate account from Novara Media noted 15 arrests made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act. The demonstration was organised by the activist coalition Defend Our Juries and attracted a largely senior crowd, including retirees, clergy and a 94-year-old human-rights barrister.
Background to the Palestine Action Proscription
Palestine Action, founded in 2020, conducts direct-action campaigns against companies it says supply weapons to Israel. The UK government proscribed the group as a “terrorist organisation” in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000, citing incidents of property damage at defence sites. A February 2026 High Court ruling declared the proscription “disproportionate” and unlawful, but the ban remained pending appeal. The Court of Appeal upheld the Home Secretary’s decision in June 2026, and the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for November 4.
Scale of the Detentions
- More than 50 arrests reported by Merseyside Police.
- 15 arrests specifically under Section 13, according to Novara Media.
- Defend Our Juries later estimated around 150 arrests during the Liverpool action.
- Since the July 2025 proscription, the civil-disobedience campaign has led to more than 3,600 arrests nationwide (Al Jazeera).
- Home Office data for the year to March 2026 recorded 2,819 arrests linked to Palestine Action support, of which 484 resulted in charges.
Official Responses
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was approached by activists outside a restaurant but did not comment, according to multiple reports.
Criticism from Human-Rights Groups
Amnesty International argues the arrests constitute an “attack on freedom of speech.” Human-rights barrister Margaret Owen, aged 94, was among those detained, underscoring concerns that the law is being applied to elderly and non-violent demonstrators.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Protesters described the police operation as “slow” compared with similar actions in London, with arrests taking roughly five minutes each. Demonstrators cheered each detention, shouting “free, free Palestine.” Participants such as 71-year-old priest Bill and 63-year-old wheelchair user Mike highlighted the symbolic importance of the sit-in, noting that the signs could become “museum pieces” in future.
Conflicting Figures and Remaining Gaps
Sources differ on the total number of arrests made during the Liverpool protest: police cite “more than 50,” Novara Media reports “15,” and Defend Our Juries claims “around 150.” No source provides a definitive, independently verified count, leaving the exact scale of the day's detentions unclear. While the High Court quashed the proscription in February 2026, subsequent appellate decisions have produced a complex legal picture that has not yet been resolved by the Supreme Court.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We had hoped the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, would do the sensible thing and bin the ban on Palestine Action given the weight of public pressure to do so and the escalating amount of resources required in enforcing it.” — Defend Our Juries
- “If [prime minister] Burnham means what he says, that he plans to end Britain’s complicity in Israel’s horrific crimes, then he would stop the arrests of people peacefully demonstrating against the genocide and the authoritarian attempts to crush its opponents,” — Defend Our Juries
What Comes Next
Defend Our Juries’ legal challenge will be heard on November 4, with an expedited decision expected. The outcome of the Supreme Court hearing will determine whether the ban on Palestine Action remains in force and could shape future policing of political protest in the United Kingdom.