TAKE ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

OVER 600 FURTHER ARRESTS AT PEACEFUL PROTESTS

United Kingdom UA 77.25

On September 6, 857 protesters were arrested in London, with more than 700 others arrested for similar offenses in London and across the UK on previous weekends, for peacefully opposing the ‘Palestine Action’ ban. Between November 18 and 29, over 600 more protesters were arrested for peacefully opposing the ban on the ‘Palestine Action’ group at a series of peaceful protests organized by grassroots campaigning group ‘Defend Our Juries’. Over 2700 arrests have now been carried out across the UK since the ban came into force in early July 2025. Approximately 254 protesters have so far been charged with terrorism-related offenses under the UK’s counter terror legislation, and more charges are threatened against the arrested protesters. Amnesty International continues to call on the UK authorities to drop the existing charges and take no further action against these and any other individuals arrested and charged simply for the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Urge the Lord Advocate and Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales as well as Northern Ireland to drop the charges and not pursue prosecutions against all those who participated in peaceful protests in support of ‘Palestine Action’ - send your email using our email-writing tool.

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Director

Steven

Parkinson

Director of Public Prosecutions of England and Wales

Director

Stephen

Herron

Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland

The Lord Advocate

Dorothy

Bain KC

The Lord Advocate United Kingdom

Dear Directors of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Lord Advocate,

Since the ban against ‘Palestine Action’ came into effect on July 5, over 1,500 people have been arrested across the country for acts of peaceful protest opposing the proscription. Most of these arrests have followed protests organized by Defend Our Juries (DOJ). As of September 8, approximately 114 individuals across the UK have been formally charged with terror-related offenses.

On September 6, during DOJ’s second mass protest, 857 peaceful protesters were arrested. The London Metropolitan police put out a statement claiming there was a coordinated violent effort by protestors against the police. In response, Amnesty International put out a statement calling this a misrepresentation. Amnesty International observers who monitored the protest witnessed episodes of police aggression, including protesters being violently shoved and batons being drawn.

Under international human rights law, any restriction on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate to achieving a legitimate aim. Criminalizing speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence, hatred, or discrimination. Expressing support for Palestine Action does not meet this threshold. Therefore, I urge you to uphold UK’s human rights commitments and drop the charges and not pursue prosecutions against all those who participated in peaceful protests in support of ‘Palestine Action’.

Yours sincerely,

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