UK says it will restrict repeated protests after 500 arrests at
pro-Palestinian vigil
[October 06, 2025]
By JILL LAWLESS
LONDON (AP) — British police will get stronger powers to restrict
repeated protests, the government said Sunday, after almost 500 people
were arrested at a demonstration in support of a banned pro-Palestinian
group.
The Home Office said police forces will be able to consider the
“cumulative impact of frequent protests” on local areas when they impose
conditions on marches and demonstrations.
“The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country,” Home
Secretary Shabana Mahmood said. “However, this freedom must be balanced
with the freedom of their neighbors to live their lives without fear.
Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly
religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave
their homes.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters defy government ban
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been held regularly since the start
of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which has so far killed more
than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry that is
part of the Hamas-run government. The U.N. and many independent experts
consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime
casualties.
The protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, but some people say they
have allowed antisemitism to spread. Some Jews say they feel threatened
by chants such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” A
handful of pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested for supporting
Hamas, which is banned in the U.K.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters have
frequently accused critics of Israel or its conduct of the war in Gaza
of antisemitism. Israel’s detractors see it as an attempt to stifle even
legitimate criticism.
British police and politicians had urged protesters to stay home this
weekend after Thursday's attack on a synagogue in Manchester that left
two Jewish men dead. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that organizers
should “recognize and respect the grief of British Jews this week” and
postpone.
But on Saturday, about 1,000 people gathered in Trafalgar Square to
protest against the banning of Palestine Action, a direct-action group
that has vandalized British military planes and targeted sites with
links to the Israeli military. It has been labeled a terrorist
organization by the government, making support for the group illegal.
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People take part in a demonstration organized by GM Friends of
Palestine at Manchester Cathedral, in Manchester, England, Saturday,
Oct. 4 2025. (Ryan Jenkinson/PA via AP)
Critics say the government is restricting free speech and the right
to protest.
Police officers carried away a number of people who sat silently
holding signs that said, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine
Action.” Police said they made 488 arrests for supporting the
outlawed organization, and a handful for other offenses.
More than 2,000 people have now been arrested at protests since
Palestine Action was proscribed in July, and more than 130 charged
with terrorism offenses.
Defend Our Juries, the group that organized Saturday’s
demonstration, said the government's “extraordinary new affront to
our democracy will only fuel the growing backlash to the ban.”
Vigils mark anniversary of Hamas attack
The war in the Palestinian enclave was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7,
2023, attack on Southern Israel that left more than 1,200 people
dead and 251 others taken hostage. The Palestinian militant group
said Saturday it was willing to return all remaining hostages, 20 of
whom are believed to be alive, and the bodies of the dead in
accordance with U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
Hundreds of people waving Israeli and British flags rallied in
London and Manchester on Sunday to mark two years since Oct. 7,
demand the hostages' release and mourn the victims of the synagogue
attack.
Mahmood, the home secretary, said she was worried about the state of
community relations in Britain, amid a “rising tide of antisemitism”
and other forms of hatred.
“There are clearly malign and dark forces running amok across our
country,” she told Times Radio.
Police said they were treating a suspected arson attack on a mosque
on England’s south coast as a hate crime. No one was injured in the
fire Saturday at the Peacehaven Community Center, which damaged the
front door of the building and a car outside.
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