Police arrest protesters outside Labour conference for backing banned group Palestine Action

Police made multiple arrests outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool after protesters openly defied the government’s ban on Palestine Action.

Around fifty demonstrators gathered on the grass outside the ACC Liverpool centre, brandishing hand-made placards that read: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Officers moved in, detaining several individuals near the Wheel of Liverpool landmark.

Merseyside Police confirmed the arrests were “on suspicion of wearing/carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation.” Under the Terrorism Act, support for Palestine Action — which was outlawed by the government in July — is a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

As the arrests unfolded, supporters clapped, cheered, and chanted in solidarity, with some detainees physically carried away by teams of officers.

The protest was organised by Defend Our Juries, which accused Labour of turning a blind eye to injustice. “Whilst the Labour party congregate at their annual conference, protestors are outside disobeying the unjust ban on Palestine Action,” the group said.

It insisted the activists were risking arrest simply for holding cardboard signs, calling the proscription of Palestine Action an attack on free speech.

Among those willing to face detention was 71-year-old Keith Hackett, who said he felt “deeply ashamed” of Labour’s stance. “If they want to start turning the party around and win back the support they have lost, they need to stop their complicity in this genocide and end the ban on Palestine Action,” he declared.

Another demonstrator, 63-year-old Tayo Aluko, likened the moment to past struggles for liberty. “This is a time for bravery, as was shown by people who went before us, so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today, which are now under threat.”

The demonstration unfolded alongside a separate protest of about 200 people opposing the government’s proposed digital ID plans. Waving union jacks and St George’s flags, that group had to be kept apart from the pro-Palestinian protesters by police.

Palestine Action was banned earlier this year by then-home secretary Yvette Cooper after activists targeted RAF Brize Norton. Paint thrown on military jets caused £7m of damage, an act the government cited as justification for proscription.

The group, however, has fought back in court. Co-founder Huda Ammori was granted permission to appeal against the ban, with lawyers arguing that it violates the right to free expression. The appeal will be heard at the High Court in November, but judges have refused to lift the ban temporarily, leaving the group legally outlawed for now.

Cooper has defended the government’s decision, saying some supporters of Palestine Action “don’t know the full nature” of the organisation.

The arrests in Liverpool follow a larger protest in Parliament Square earlier this month, where more than 425 people were detained while opposing the ban.

With Labour’s annual conference in full swing, the spectacle outside the venue underscored tensions between the party and pro-Palestinian campaigners, who accuse its leadership of complicity. For the activists, the cost of defiance is high: arrest under terrorism legislation, possible criminal charges, and the looming prospect of lengthy prison terms.

The High Court ruling later this year will determine whether the ban on Palestine Action remains — but until then, its supporters face the stark choice of silence or arrest.