London Police Arrest Over 500 Protesters in Trafalgar Square Over Palestine Action Ban

London police arrested more than 500 people at a sit-down protest in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, April 11, 2026, as demonstrators gathered to oppose the British government's ban on the pro-Palestinian direct action group Palestine Action. The Metropolitan Police confirmed on X that all arrests were made on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation, with those detained ranging in age from 18 to 87, according to later police statements reported by ZEIT ONLINE, DIE WELT, and Le Monde. An earlier Metropolitan Police post cited 212 arrests, a figure confirmed by Reuters and the BBC in initial reports, but the total climbed above 500 as the afternoon continued. Hundreds of protesters had gathered in the spring sunshine, many sitting on the ground or in camping chairs, holding placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" and waving Palestinian flags and scarves. Officers were filmed carrying demonstrators away from the square as onlookers chanted "shame on you."

Massive Attack's Del Naja carried away by officers Robert Del Naja, the 61-year-old singer-songwriter and founding member of the Bristol trip-hop band Massive Attack, was among those arrested at the demonstration. Del Naja sat among fellow protesters holding a sign that read "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action" before officers approached and placed him under arrest, carrying him away as the crowd cheered and applauded. Prior to his arrest, he told the Press Association he had weighed the potential consequences for his music career, including difficulties obtaining travel visas for international tours. „Being a musician, obviously, there was a lot of trepidation around how we might not be able to travel and get visas. But I thought 'this is ridiculous' and then the police making that U-turn to arrest people again, I thought that is even more ridiculous. So I'm going to hold a sign today.” — Robert Del Naja via The Independent Del Naja added that he felt confident he could contest any arrest in court on the grounds that it was unlawful. Massive Attack is scheduled to begin a European summer tour on May 26, 2026, with dates in Helsinki, Rattvik, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Brussels.

High Court ruled ban unlawful, but arrests continue anyway Palestine Action was founded in 2020 with the stated goal of ending global participation in what the group describes as Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime. The British government proscribed the organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025, after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged military aircraft. The ban was imposed under then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. A High Court ruling in February 2026 found the ban disproportionate and unlawful, but the government filed an appeal, keeping the proscription in effect while the legal challenge is reviewed. The legal status of Palestine Action has placed the Metropolitan Police in what a force spokesperson described to the BBC as "an extremely difficult situation." Following the February High Court judgment, the Met had indicated its officers would be unlikely to make arrests, but in March 2026 it reversed that position and said it would resume detaining protesters who expressed support for the group. The ban remains valid pending the outcome of the government's appeal, which Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was granted approval to pursue. At a solidarity demonstration in the southwestern city of Truro, police chose not to intervene, illustrating an inconsistent approach across different forces. The BBC reported that trials of hundreds of people accused of holding placards have been put on hold while the legal dispute over the ban continues.

Amnesty International condemns arrests as state crackdown on dissent Amnesty International sharply criticised the police operation, framing the mass detentions as an assault on civil liberties. An Amnesty spokesperson, quoted by the British news agency PA and reported by ZEIT ONLINE, said the arrests represented a "criminalization of dissent by the state" rather than legitimate policing. „Today's mass arrests of peaceful protesters at Trafalgar Square, citing British terrorism law, are another blow to civil liberties in this country.” — Amnesty International spokesperson via ZEIT ONLINE Scenes at the protest included elderly demonstrators being carried away by officers, a woman using a walking stick escorted to police vans, and at least one woman seen lying on the ground surrounded by officers after protesters alleged she had not been properly supported during her removal. Israel has repeatedly denied any abuses in its war in Gaza, according to Reuters. The protest was the first major demonstration of this kind since the High Court's February ruling, and it drew participants across a wide age range, underscoring the breadth of public opposition to the ban.

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Perspektywy mediów: Mass arrests of peaceful protesters holding placards represent a dangerous erosion of the right to protest and free expression under overbroad anti-terrorism laws. Police are enforcing a law that remains legally in effect; the government is right to appeal a court ruling that undermines counter-terrorism powers.