Supporters of the Defend Our Juries campaign group have carried out multiple civil disobedience protests since the then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s controversial designation of direct action network Palestine Action as a ‘terrorist organisation’ last year.
Until recently, protests involved people holding up signs that read “I Oppose Genocide – I Support Palestine Action”. Over the course of a year, several thousand people have been arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for showing support for a proscribed group.
For the previous decades, UK terrorism arrests have hovered around a couple of hundred yearly, but 2026 shows an increase of beyond 1000%, demonstrating the extent to which free speech is under attack here.
To mark the anniversary of the very first action, and to protest the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn an earlier ruling that the Yvette Cooper’s decision had been unlawful, a small group of protesters gathered at New Scotland Yard and one by one announced that they were ‘members’ (not just supporters) of Palestine Action, and that they “encouraged others to join” too. For making these statements, fourteen people, including 84 year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt were arrested under Section 12 of the Act – which carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Last Thursday, under the banner ‘Saving Lives Is Not Terrorism’, hundreds gathered outside Westminster Magistrates Court on the Marylebone Road in London, for what was dubbed ‘Graduation Day’, because many had been summoned there, having received letters referring to earlier Section 13 offences, and expected to become fully-fledged ‘terrorists’ in the eyes of the judiciary.
Real Media checked court listings late on Wednesday night and saw more than 2000 cases (mostly ‘terrorist-related’) still listed for the next day – the majority being plea hearings or other ‘mentions’. On Wednesday evening, the Metropolitan Police posted a claim that all cases had been adjourned, telling people to stay away, but on Thursday afternoon we were shown copies of letters received by defendants, and they told us their cases were STILL listed within the court. This was just one of several signs of judicial chaos throughout the day.
Some were arrested as terrorists after chanting only the words “I support Palestine”. Others, including social justice and climate campaigner Jonathon Porritt, were arrested after saying “I support Palestine Action”, with police claiming that this breached Section 11 – it doesn’t.
Several people have alleged they were arrested merely for being in the area, without chanting any slogans or displaying any banners. Two people helping to set up a podium for pre-action poetry and singing were arrested under Section 12 (although later released on bail with no charge). One young woman began a speech about conditions in Ghazzah, and was also arrested under Terrorism legislation. Under the broad terms of legislation, anyone cheering or clapping at the protest would have run the risk of arrest if police consider it as a show of support for the now-disbanded Palestine Action network.
On the streets, the ‘motivation’ of someone exercising their freedom of speech can be considered in order to deprive them of their liberty and threaten them with long prison terms. But inside the court, any reference to motivation is censored and regarded as contempt, and juries are told to disregard it.
Apart from using terrorism legislation, some officers also made arrests under Section 45 of the Serious Organised Crime Act, and in a social media post the Met later claimed that “a number of officers were assaulted”. We’ve spoken to several journalists covering the afternoon, none of whom witnessed any assaults, and we await a response from the Met to our inquiry for more information on these claims.
On the same day, and perhaps shedding light on the adjournment of thousands of cases, the UK Supreme Court announced that Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori will have the right to a further appeal against proscription. Her leave to appeal has been granted partially on a single ground – that it is an excessive infringement of Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR.
One of the aspects of that interference is the effect it has had on the thousands of peaceful protesters now facing terrorism charges. The adjournment of their cases might take them out of the equation for the Supreme Court to consider, but could of course be reinstated in the event that the appeal is rejected. Surely, such legal manoeuvring could only be seen in the most authoritarian states in the world.
BREAKING NEWS: The Supreme Court has just announced the dates and panel for the appeal hearing on the proscription of Palestine Action. Lord Sales, Lord Leggat and Lady Simler will preside over the hearing on the 4th and 5th November.
