Police make arrests as Palestine Action protesters target Labour conference

You are about to be charged £0.00* *Your gift has been applied Thank you for subscribing! Police make arrests as Palestine Action protesters target Labour conference Protesters were sitting on the grass outside the annual conference in Liverpool The fearless champion of Britain, its voices and its values. Join the fight for free speech and fearless journalism. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Community Rules. Don't Miss Most Read Police have arrested demonstrators outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool during a protest in support of Palestine Action. More than 200 protesters sat outside the conference at the Liverpool Experience Campus, with many holding home-made banners which read: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Officers stood by before moving in to arrest an elderly man who was sitting under a tree. Another arrest was made after a protester was told he was holding up a sign supporting a proscribed organisation. After asking the man if he was going to continue holding up the sign, police led him away. More protesters are expected to sit in the same spot as those who have been arrested. Frontman of Bristol trip-hop band Massive Attack Robert Del Naja, also known as 3D, was reportedly arrested yesterday outside the conference venue. Footage posted online appeared to show Mr Del Naja saying he "doesn't recognise the offence" before officers arrest him and remove him from where he was sitting. Protesters held sights outside the conference venue |PA In June 2025, then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to ban the group. Protesters have typically held up placards, worn T-shirts, and donned badges declaring “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, leading to their arrests under anti-terrorism legislation. Defend Our Juries (DOJ) announced plans to host a mass, silent sign-holding vigil in the city. A DOJ spokesman said: "We had hoped the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, would do the sensible thing and bin the ban on Palestine Action given the weight of public pressure to do so and the escalating amount of resources required in enforcing it. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS - Ireland to wear black armbands against Israel 'in recognition of all lives lost in Gaza conflict' - Israel rejects 15-point peace plan for Gaza outlined by Donald Trump's Board of Peace - Foreign Office summons top Israeli diplomat after Benjamin Netanyahu's security minister taunted detained Gaza flotilla activists Police are making arrests at the scene |PA The spokesman continued: "Continuing the charade of the proscription of Palestine Action is illogical, unsustainable and immoral. "Hundreds of people, from professions including teachers, pensioners, and healthcare workers, are willing to be arrested today to let Andy Burnham know that it is not enough just to say that Israel is committing war crimes including ethnic cleansing in Gaza, he must take meaningful action to end UK complicity with Israel’s crimes. "The first step the PM could do today, from the podium of his inaugural party conference is to commit to ending the prosecution and jailing of people as terrorists just for standing up against war crimes and genocide." Demonstrators cheered every time someone was carried away by police, chanting “free, free Palestine”. The number of arrests reached double figures an hour after police started taking action. Police officers remove a campaigner of the Palestine Action Group |REUTERS One of the protesters taking part told GB News: "The British Government is complicit in genocide. For three years, we've been providing surveillance flights to help the Israelis bomb innocent Gazans. "We've been providing weapons and providing diplomatic cover. "Then to top it all, the Government proscribes Palestine Action who were simply trying to prevent the genocide. "Even crazier, they now arrest lots of pensioners like me simply for holding a piece of paper, pointing out the obvious." Police officers stand guard as campaigners hold a silent protest |REUTERS Earlier this week, Labour announced an £88million package to deliver healthcare, clean water and protection to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Support for medical consultations, rehabilitation for children with blast injuries and vital mental health services will be delivered as part of the aid package. Money will also be spent on sanitation and hygiene services, in addition to waste management. The package forms part of the £127million allocated to Palestine in the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget for 2026/27. Much of Gaza remains in ruins |REUTERS Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the funding would "support to those desperately in need" as he urged the Israeli government to end its "unacceptable restrictions on Gaza". This follows a reset of the UK’s relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has seen a ban on goods from illegal West Bank settlements. Mr Miliband said: "It is vital that civilians in Gaza have unhindered access to aid. The UK is pledging a major new package of aid to provide much needed healthcare support to those desperately in need. "We urge the government of Israel to listen to our call to action and take steps to end its unacceptable restrictions on Gaza."