Officers have carried demonstrators into police vans as 42 people were arrested at a protest against Palestine Action being designated as a terrorist group.
Groups gathered in central London on Saturday for the second week in a row to protest the decision ban the direct-action group.
A further 16 arrests were made at a protest in Manchester, and 13 at another in Cardiff.
In London, two small groups sat at the steps of the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues shortly after 1pm in Parliament Square for the demonstration, organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries, and received a brief round of applause.
The individuals then wrote “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” with black markers on pieces of cardboard and silently held the signs aloft, surrounded by Metropolitan Police officers.
Police carried away at least two of the protesters lying in front of the Gandhi statue and carried them through crowds to waiting police vans.
Others were led away from the statues by officers into police vans parked around the square.
We are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) July 12, 2025
Officers are in the process of making arrests. We will issue any updates on this thread.
Other officers were seen searching the protesters bags and taking their ID cards. Some demonstrators could be seen lying on top of each other while police held their handmade signs.
The force confirmed 41 people had been arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed terror group and one person for common assault.
More demonstrations were due to take place in London, as well as in Manchester, Cardiff and Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on Saturday, the campaign group said.
Greater Manchester Police said it had arrested 16 people under the Terrorism Act after responding to a protest in St Peter’s Square, Manchester, at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
South Wales Police also confirmed 13 people were arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the same Act during a protest in the vicinity of Central Square, Cardiff.
Before the protest, Scotland Yard said that officers will act where criminal offences, including support of proscribed groups or organisations, are committed.
The force added that this includes “chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos”.
The terror group designation means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The move to ban the organisation came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June in an incident claimed by Palestine Action which caused an estimated £7 million worth of damage.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action, saying that the vandalism of the planes was “disgraceful” and the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.
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