Police arrest 92 at London Palestine Action ban rally

Police have so far arrested 92 people during a mass protest against the Palestine Action ban in central London.

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that all arrests made during the demonstration in Trafalgar Square were in support of a banned organisation.

The group was banned in 2025 for entering a UK airbase and spray-painting two military aircraft. Protesters also targeted British arms manufacturers who sold Israeli weapons during the war in Gaza.

Police stated that the ages of those arrested ranged from 27 to 82.

In a post on X, the Metropolitan Police added that its officers “continued to make further arrests and a group remained in Trafalgar Square”.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon, holding banners reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Many of the demonstrators, mostly elderly, sat on camp chairs and on the ground and held up signs.

At the top of the square, near the National Gallery, hung large banners reading “Israel is starving children.”

Several people, including a gray-haired man and woman, were removed from the demonstration by police officers.

While people chanted “shame on you” slogans, police officers were seen carrying a woman participating in the protest.

Police then removed a handcuffed man and walked an elderly protester with a cane towards police vans.

A woman shouted: “Yes, he looks like a terrorist, doesn’t he mate?”

The protesters, some of whom were carried by police officers by their ankles and under their arms, were taken to an area surrounded by metal fences on the edge of Trafalgar Square.

In March the force said officers would continue to arrest suspected Palestine Action supporters as the Supreme Court battle over the group’s ban continued.

Police paused arrests of demonstrators in February after the High Court ruled the UK government’s ban was unlawful, but later decided to restart as it would likely take several months to appeal the decision.