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Over 90 arrested as hundreds gather to defy Palestine Action ban in London
April 11, 2026
Middle East Eye
Over 90 arrested as hundreds gather to defy Palestine Action ban in London Hundreds gathered in central London on Saturday in defiance of the UK government’s proscription of the direct action group Palestine Action, risking arrest under terrorism legislation. Some 500 protesters set up camping chairs at the foot of the steps of Trafalgar Square, displaying handmade cardboard signs reading: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” The demonstrators were met with a heavy police presence, with vans lining the square hours before the vigil began.
The protesters - many of them grey-haired and frail - were seen being hauled away, while some were led leaning on crutches. A number of the demonstrators were dressed as Suffragettes, early women’s rights activists. One woman appeared to faint as she was being carried and was put into the recovery position while surrounded by police. The sight has been a familiar one over the last year, with over 1,600 people arrested under the terrorism legislation for holding the same signs since the ban was introduced in July 2025. Read more: Over 90 arrested as hundreds gather to defy Palestine Action ban in London
Middle East Eye
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