Archiv: Defend Our Juries (organization)


19.11.2025 - 19:20 [ Defend Our Juries ]

November ’25 – multiple dates, multiple towns and cities – all say Lift the Ban!

Aberystwyth one of 10 UK locations to join Palestine Action protestCambrian News, 18 November 25

Devon and Cornwall Police overwhelmed by the number of protesters defying ban on Palestine ActionCobblestone Media, 18 November 25

‘Increased’ police presence at protest to lift ban on Palestine ActionGloucestershire Live, 17 November 25

Arrests at Palestine Action protest in LeedsBBC – West Yorkshire, 18 November 25

Nine arrests made at pro-Palestine Action protestBBC – Northamptonshire, 18 November 25

Hunger strike continues as protests planned in Aberystwyth and CardiffPembrokeshire Herald, 17 November 25

19.11.2025 - 19:06 [ Middle East Eye ]

England and Wales arrest dozens of Palestine Action supporters

Police response to protests against group’s ban remains divided, with Scotland and Northern Ireland making no arrests

19.11.2025 - 19:03 [ theNationalNews.com ]

Palestine Action campaign launches week of UK protests

(November 18, 2025)

Demonstrators opposing a ban on protest group Palestine Action are stepping up pressure with a week of demonstrations across the UK.

The plans centre on the display of signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, for which protesters could face arrest under UK terrorism laws.

The High Court will next week review a challenge to the proscription mounted by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, after a failed attempt by the UK government to block her appeal.

16.11.2025 - 15:26 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – November 2025 Action

In November, Defend Our Juries will be escalating the campaign to Lift The Ban on Palestine Action ahead of the Judicial Review against the ban.

Locations for the November wave have now been announced, with actions to take place across the UK on two key dates (18th and 29th November), as well as four actions in London (20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th November) and one in the North of Ireland (22nd November). All actions will take place in central locations per town/city.

Read the all important Action Briefing Document here for full details as they emerge (this is a Live document, please check back regularly for info and changes) – taking action in Scotland? Please read the Scotland-specific Action Briefing Document as the law is slightly different there.

Locations:

Tuesday 18th – Gloucester, Truro, Nottingham, Northampton, Oxford, Leeds, Newcastle, Caerdydd (Cardiff), Aberystwyth, Edinburgh.

Thursday 20th – London.

Saturday 22nd – London, Belfast.

Monday 24th – London.

Wednesday 26th – London.

Saturday 29th – Bristol, Birmingham, Exeter, Cambridge, Sheffield, Lancaster, Manchester, Edinburgh, Caerdydd (Cardiff).

Each of the actions will take place at 1pm (unless specified otherwise), at a location which will be emailed out to those signed up a few days before the action date. All locations will be accessible with public transport in the city of action. More locations may be released at a later date.

16.11.2025 - 15:08 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Lift the Ban – November

• Defend Our Juries are hosting a series of Open Calls as we approach the November 2025 National wave of action.

• Open Calls will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next call will be on November 18th (the first day of action!). Calls go live at 6:30pm via the button below.

• (note: the button will only go live once the call is active – refresh this if the button appears greyed-out after 6:30pm on the dates specified.)

03.11.2025 - 20:22 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – November 2025 Action

Locations for the November wave have now been announced, with actions to take place across the UK on two key dates (18th and 29th November), as well as four actions in London (20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th November) and one in the North of Ireland (22nd November). All actions will take place in central locations per town/city.

Read the all important Action Briefing Document here for full details as they emerge (this is a Live document, please check back regularly for info and changes) – taking action in Scotland? Please read the Scotland-specific Action Briefing Document as the law is slightly different there.

03.11.2025 - 20:13 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Lift the Ban – November

• Defend Our Juries are hosting a series of Open Calls as we approach the November 2025 National wave of action.

• Open Calls will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting on November 4th. Calls go live at 6:30pm via the button below.

• (note: the button will only go live once the call is active – refresh this if the button appears greyed-out after 6:30pm on the dates specified.)

07.10.2025 - 01:20 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – November 2025 Action

There are signs that the authoritarian powers are cracking, the police are struggling to enforce this absurd law, with some police forces outright refusing to make arrests. International and national human rights groups, politicians and United Nations representatives have condemned both the ban and the subsequent attacks on our civil liberties. Unions are declaring that they will not recognise the ban, while over 1600 people were arrested prior to our October 4th action.

We will be holding our signs around the UK in key cities and towns, as well as converging on London for the Judicial Review Itself (25-27 November). Book time off now, and sign the form to tell us where you’ll be taking action.

We will not comply with anti-democratic laws. We call on the UK Government to Lift The Ban on Palestine Action and to end UK complicity in Israel’s genocide.

In unity, not uniformity, we join together.

07.10.2025 - 01:16 [ Common Dreams ]

UK Grants Police New Powers to Crush Peaceful Protests as Palestine Action Demonstrations Continue

Police arrested nearly 500 more pro-Palestine demonstrators on Saturday—including many Jewish activists—who participated in a protest calling for the government to “Lift the Ban” on the protest group Palestine Action, which was outlawed under Britain’s anti-terrorism law in July.

Those arrested included an 83-year-old Anglican priest, the 79-year-old daughter of a Holocaust survivor, and a 79-year-old Jewish man with terminal illness, among hundreds of others who held signs in opposition to the ban as part of a “silent vigil.”

(…=

“The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear,” said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. “Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated, and scared to leave their homes. This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days.”

04.10.2025 - 15:42 [ RealMedia.press ]

Lift The Ban

Watch this artful piece by talented filmmaker Jo Syz – a record of the ‘Lift The Ban’ protests which took place in Parliament Square last month on the 6th September.

04.10.2025 - 15:13 [ Daily Record / Youtube ]

LIVE Mass protest defying Palestine Action ban takes place in Trafalgar Square

Defend Our Juries are holding a mass action event in defiance of the ban against Palestine Action.

03.10.2025 - 22:35 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Lift the Ban: Actions

Over 1500 people so far have been arrested at Lift The Ban events for holding signs which read “I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action”. 29 people were arrested at Parliament Square in London on July 5th, the day the ban came into effect. On the following Saturday, 46 arrests at Parliament Square took place for the same act, as well as dozens of actions in other locations across the UK.

On August 9th, over 500 people were arrested in what was reportedly the largest number of arrests for civil disobedience in recent memory. On September 6th, the number was 857 (although not all sitters were arrested on this occasion.) Almost all arrests have take place for allegedly breaching Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, under accusation of supporting a proscribed organisation. All arrestees have been released on bail.

On August 9th, over 500 people were arrested for holding signs which said ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’ .

Around 1,500 people joined another peaceful sign-holding action on September 6th in London, with 857 arrests.

The next Lift The Ban action will take place on October 4th in London’s Trafalgar Square (relocated from Parliament Square).

03.10.2025 - 22:27 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Dear Assistant Commissioner,

(October 2, 2025)

First let us say that we utterly condemn the attack on the Jewish community in Manchester today.

This is what genuine terrorism looks like and we join with others in condemning it unreservedly.

As we have pointed out in our, sadly unacknowledged and unanswered, letters to Met Commissioner Mark Rowley, it has always been the choice of the Metropolitan Police whether or not to make arrests at our protests. Amnesty International has advised Mark Rowley that these arrests fall foul of international law and our fundamental rights.

As you know we are making two demands of the government: that it reverse the ban on a domestic protest group that poses no risk to the public; and secondly that the government take action in line with its obligations to prevent genocide.

It is unfortunate that the Home Office has not decided to rescind the ban in the wake of the ever-growing defiance and has chosen instead to put an increasing and unnecessary strain on police resources. According to your letter, it appears the political oversight in proscribing Palestine Action, which aimed to save lives in Palestine, is taking away from the police protecting the community from those who seek to take lives.

As I’m sure you will understand, the protection of our democracy and the prevention of countless deaths are critical issues. Therefore, our protest will go ahead as planned for this Saturday.

We urge you therefore to choose to prioritise protecting the community, rather than arresting those peacefully holding signs in opposition to the absurd and draconian ban of a domestic direct action group.

We hope you make the right choice to not arrest those taking part, and correctly deploy counter-terrorism resources this weekend.

Please understand that some 1,500 people have given deep consideration to committing to this nonviolent action which, as the Met has repeatedly pointed out, comes with serious risks. We hope you respect our fundamental right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.

Yours sincerely,

Defend Our Juries

03.10.2025 - 22:17 [ Stourbridge News ]

Defend Our Juries vows to continue with protest despite pleas from Met

Organisers of a pro-Palestine protest planned in central London have insisted it will go ahead despite calls from police and the Home Secretary to delay or cancel.

Protest group Defend Our Juries has organised a demonstration on Saturday in Trafalgar Square, and claimed on Friday: “Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win”.

29.09.2025 - 00:47 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – London – October 4th Action

The next Lift The Ban action will take place at Parliament Square in London on October 4th at 1pm. Sign up here to make a commitment to standing with 1,500 others to demand the de-proscription of Palestine Action, and an end to UK complicity in genocide.

Please read the Action Briefing Document in full before committing to this action. There is a significant risk of arrest for those who take part. The action will only go ahead if 1,500 people make a commitment.

500+ people committed to action on August 9th, over 1,000 people committed in September – Defend Our Juries made clear our intention to continue to oppose this absurd ban until it is overturned. A Judicial Review is pending in November, but the Home Office can, and should, overturn this ban before that time.

29.09.2025 - 00:42 [ theGuardian.com ]

Palestine Action protesters arrested outside Labour conference in Liverpool – video

Police made a number of arrests on suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action at a protest outside the Labour party conference in Liverpool on Sunday

07.09.2025 - 17:54 [ Defend Our Juries / X ]

Eight hours after the protest began and hundreds remain in Parliament Square to oppose the proscription of Palestine Action. This will go down as one of the biggest mass acts of civil disobedience in British history. Join the mass defiance of the ban: wedonotcomply.org

(September 6, 2025)

07.09.2025 - 17:50 [ New York Times / dnyuz.com ]

Over 800 Arrested at Protest After Pro-Palestinian Group Banned as Terrorist

The Defend Our Juries group, which organized the demonstration, advised protesters to passively resist arrest and refuse to give police their names and addresses, to force officers to take them into custody.

Six people accused of organizing Defend Our Juries meetings were arrested hours before a scheduled news conference on Tuesday and charged with encouraging support for Palestine Action, an offense for which those found guilty can be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.

When the rescheduled news conference took place without them on Wednesday, Defend Our Juries supporters accused the British government and the police of attacking free speech and the right to protest.

06.09.2025 - 17:15 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – October 2025 Action (Date TBC)

500+ people committed to action in August, over 1,500 people committed in September – Defend Our Juries made clear our intention to continue to oppose this absurd ban until it is overturned by Judicial Review in November.

The next action is set to take place in October, date and location to be confirmed.

Sign up using the form on this page if you’d like to take part in a simple sign-holding action in October 2025 as part of the Lift The Ban campaign.

06.09.2025 - 17:12 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Lift the Ban

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, introduced the ban after Palestine Action entered the RAF base at Brize Norton and spray painted two military planes red, shining a spotlight on the role of the British military in partnering Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.

It is vital that our campaign succeeds – not just for Palestine Action but for democracy. Once the meaning of ‘terrorism’ is separated from campaigns of violence against a civilian population, and extended to include those causing economic damage or embarrassment to the rich, the powerful and the criminal, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning and democracy is dead. If we let this go, the unions, and climate and racial justice movements will be next.

But the Government has overreached itself. Our groups and movements are coming together like never before, finding unity under repression. By refusing to give into fear and by standing together, we will face down this assault on us all.

The objective of this campaign is to Lift the Ban on Palestine Action, i.e. for Palestine Action to be de-proscribed as a ‘terrorist organisation’.

06.09.2025 - 16:56 [ London City Events / Youtube ]

1000 Palestine action arrested Part 2

Started streaming 17 minutes ago #PalestineAction #Israel #London
#PalestineAction #Israel #London #ParliamentSquare #metpolice #Arrest #Palestine #Hamas #KeirStarmer #gaza

06.09.2025 - 16:51 [ London City Events / Youtube ]

1000 Palestine action protesters arrested and demand to be taken into custody 6/9/25

Streamed live 3 hours ago #PalestineAction #Israel #London
#PalestineAction #Israel #London #ParliamentSquare #metpolice #Arrest #Palestine #Hamas #KeirStarmer #gaza

02.09.2025 - 17:42 [ Morning Star ]

Raging grannies become Yvette Cooper’s worst nightmare

(August 19, 2025)

La Pethick, an 89-year-old retired psychotherapist, became the poster granny of the August 8 Parliament Square protest when a photo of her in her white hat being carried away by police spread like wildfire across the internet. Pethick, a retired psychotherapist from near Hastings, East Sussex, told the Times, “We are having our right to peaceful protest being taken away.”

Claudia Cotton, 89, a Jewish refugee also interviewed by the Times and whose family fled Nazi Germany in 1939, told the newspaper: “I am prepared to be arrested. In fact, I think it’s a good thing because it shows how ordinary people are willing to go to prison to oppose governments that are doing evil things.”

Grandmother Manji Mansfield, observed in an interview with Al Jazeera during the August 8 protest, “This isn’t the Britain that I grew up in. We are now living in an alternative universe.”

02.09.2025 - 17:20 [ Defend Our Juries ]

Lift the Ban

We have now confirmed that over 1000 people will join a simple sign-holding action on September 6th in London. Sign up below to get involved:
(…)
It is vital that our campaign succeeds – not just for Palestine Action but for democracy. Once the meaning of ‘terrorism’ is separated from campaigns of violence against a civilian population, and extended to include those causing economic damage or embarrassment to the rich, the powerful and the criminal, then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning and democracy is dead. If we let this go, the unions, and climate and racial justice movements will be next.

But the Government has overreached itself. Our groups and movements are coming together like never before, finding unity under repression. By refusing to give into fear and by standing together, we will face down this assault on us all.

The objective of this campaign is to Lift the Ban on Palestine Action, i.e. for Palestine Action to be de-proscribed as a ‘terrorist organisation’.

02.09.2025 - 17:14 [ ActionNetwork.org ]

Lift The Ban – London – September 6th Action

We will not comply with anti-democratic laws. We call on the UK Government to Lift The Ban on Palestine Action.

In unity, not uniformity, we join together.

02.09.2025 - 17:11 [ Independent.co.uk ]

Five members of group supporting Palestine Action ‘arrested in police raids’

Campaign group Defend Our Juries said five of its spokespeople were arrested as it prepared to announce further mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action.

The organisation said more than 1,000 people are set to take action on September 6 in Parliament Square, holding signs saying “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”.

This follows a number of demonstrations over the summer that have seen more than 700 people arrested and 114 charged.

19.08.2025 - 17:53 [ BBC Newsnight / Youtube ]

Ex-adviser to the King on his Palestine Action protest arrest

(August 13, 2025)

A knight of the realm and long-time adviser to the King when Prince of Wales, Sir Jonathon Porritt, speaks to Newsnight about his arrest for supporting Palestine Action. Interview by Victoria Derbyshire.

09.08.2025 - 22:46 [ Defend Our Juries ]

LIFT THE BAN: Campaign demands

1 – Lift the Ban on Palestine Action. Stop persecuting those taking direct action to protect the Palestinian people from genocide.

2 – Name the Israeli assault on the Palestinian people as a genocide. Comply with the resulting legal obligations, including by ending all military trade and other military cooperation with Israel.

09.08.2025 - 22:39 [ Common Dreams ]

Hundreds Arrested In London for Opposing Ban on Nonviolent Group Palestine Action

British campaigners reported Saturday that the sheer volume of people who showed up in London‘s Parliament Square to support the nonviolent advocacy group Palestine Action presented a major challenge for the Metropolitan Police, who had threatened to arrest anyone supporting the organization.

The campaign group Defend Our Juries reported that as of 4:00 pm local time, at least 200 people had been arrested for joining the protest, where more than 1,000 sat silently in the square with many displaying signs that read: „I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.“

Others held signs reading, „Is this why you joined the police?“ as officers arrested demonstrators including National Health Service workers; a blind man using a wheelchair; author Jonathon Porritt; and former Guantánamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg, who now advocates for wrongly-imprisoned people swept up in the War on Terror.

09.08.2025 - 22:28 [ BBC ]

Woman wearing Palestine Action T-shirt arrested

The woman was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan „We are all Palestine Action“.

Palestine Action became a proscribed organisation in July under the Terrorism Act, making membership of or support for the group a criminal offence. Two men were also cautioned for the same offence.

Police say they arrested a 43-year-old man for disorderly behaviour.

09.08.2025 - 22:26 [ Time Magazine ]

British Police Arrest Hundreds of Pro-Palestinian Protesters Who Defied Anti-Terror Law

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the British Parliament to hold signs reading „I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,“ in what they said was a protest for freedom of expression.

By doing so, the protesters violated a law passed by the British Parliament in early July that classified Palestine Action as a terror organization and made it illegal for anyone to publicly show support for it.

09.08.2025 - 16:16 [ CNBC-TV18 / Youtube ]

Palestine Action March LIVE: UK Police Arrest More Than 50 at Banned Palestine Action Group | N18G

Hundreds had descended on the square for the demonstration as part of a busy weekend of protests in the capital. The Met said it had drafted in officers from other forces to form a “significant policing presence” and warned it would arrest anyone expressing support for the proscribed group.
Clusters of officers were seen escorting protesters carrying placards backing Palestine Action through swelling crowds to waiting police vans on the edge of the square.

09.08.2025 - 16:04 [ CNN-News18 / Youtube ]

LIVE: Pro-Palestine Protests in London | Authorities Fire Tear Gas ? | Palestine Solidarity Live

Hundreds of Palestine Action activists are reportedly aiming to provoke mass arrests in an attempt to overwhelm police forces and pressure the UK government to lift its ban on the group.