Overview
- On Sunday, July 5, 2026, officers detained 14 people outside New Scotland Yard during a Defend Our Juries protest that marked the one-year anniversary of the ban on Palestine Action.
- The Metropolitan Police said arrests were made for expressing support for a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act and that such expressions remain a criminal offence.
- Organisers said those arrested faced charges under section 12 of the Terrorism Act, which criminalises inviting support for a proscribed group and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, and they described the move as a substantial escalation from earlier use of section 13.
- Among those taken was Reverend Sue Parfitt, 84, who publicly urged support for Palestine Action, was searched by officers and placed in a police van, highlighting the personal legal risks activists now face.
- The action follows a June 2026 ruling in which judges said Palestine Action "overtly promotes unlawful violence," a finding that has strengthened the Home Office proscription and sharpened debate over policing, protest rights and further legal challenges.