Elderly make up half of arrests at London Palestine Action protest
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Police data shows nearly half of the 532 arrests at the London Palestine Action protest were of people aged 60 or over, sparking debate over civil liberties and anti-terror laws.
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Demonstrators pass a line of police during a protest by Palestine Action group in London, on June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Nearly half of the 532 people arrested during a major demonstration in Parliament Square against the UK’s ban on Palestine Action were aged 60 or over, according to Metropolitan Police figures released on Sunday. The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, took place on Saturday and is the largest to date since Palestine Action was officially proscribed last month.
The arrests were overwhelmingly made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for displaying placards or signs in support of Palestine Action. Of the 519 detainees with confirmed dates of birth, 49.9% were 60 years or older, including almost 100 in their 70s and 15 in their 80s. The oldest detainees were held for hours in hot weather, with some alleging they were denied timely access to water.
According to The Guardian, among those arrested were prominent public figures such as Sir Jonathon Porritt, 75, former government adviser, and Chris Romberg, 75, a former British Army officer and son of a Holocaust survivor. Both were arrested under Section 13 and bailed until October. Award-winning poet Alice Oswald, 58, was arrested under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act, accused of inviting support for a proscribed organisation.
The Metropolitan Police defended their approach, stating that medics and water were available, but also emphasising that those who knowingly broke the law bore “personal responsibility” for the consequences.
Palestine Action: Non-violent resistance
Founded in July 2020, Palestine Action is a direct-action network targeting British companies linked to the Israeli arms industry, with a focus on ending UK complicity in Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Co-founded by Huda Ammori, the group is known for non-lethal protest tactics such as paint, lock-ons, and site occupations.
Palestine Action’s primary target has been Elbit Systems, "Israel’s" largest weapons manufacturer, due to its role in supplying drones, munitions, and other weaponry used against Palestinians. The group claims several high-profile victories, including forcing the closure of Elbit’s Oldham factory, the abandonment of its London headquarters, and the cancellation of £280 million in Ministry of Defense contracts.
Palestine Action activists covered the BBC’s headquarters in London with blood-red paint in protest against the corporation’s "ongoing complicity in the genocide of Palestinians through its entrenched pro-Israel bias."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 18, 2025
In a statement, the activists stressed the "BBC’s role in… pic.twitter.com/yd7VsxA8nv
'Terrorist' designation
In June 2025, two activists carried out their most damaging action at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, causing £7 million in damage to military aircraft in protest of UK arms support to "Israel". Weeks later, on July 5, 2025, the UK government formally designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, equating it in legal terms with groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. The designation makes membership or public support a criminal offense carrying up to 14 years in prison.
Additionally, the proscription drew condemnation from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Amnesty International, which criticised the move as a misuse of counter-terrorism laws to silence pro-Palestine activism. A judicial review is pending after Huda Ammori won the right to challenge the ban in court.
Protest and political fallout
Saturday’s demonstration in London saw hundreds holding signs reading: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." For many attendees, particularly older campaigners, the arrests symbolised what they view as a severe erosion of civil liberties in the UK.
RELEASED
— Defend our Juries (@DefendourJuries) August 10, 2025
We can now confirm that every arrestee from the Lift The Ban sign-holding action has been released. None have been charged.
Hundreds of the arrestees were taken to police cells. Hundreds were processed in pop-up gazebos after queuing for hours.https://t.co/vqXWFPPScY pic.twitter.com/mgHXY2Tf87
Speaking to the Guardian, Porritt described the government’s actions as “overreach” and “desperation” to silence criticism over Gaza. Romberg compared the crackdown unfavourably to the Vietnam War era, when, he said, political speech was not criminalised in this way. Oswald linked her protest decision to her work teaching poetry to children in Gaza, calling the ban a “serious assault” on freedoms.
While all detainees were released without charge, campaigners argue that the threat of terrorism charges for peaceful protest will deter lawful activism. Civil liberties groups, student unions, and NGOs have pledged to continue resisting the ban.
