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Urgent Action: Drop the charges against the UK's peaceful protesters

169 days left to demand change

Over 3,300 people have been arrested across the UK for peacefully opposing the July 2025 ban on Palestine Action. Of these, over 1,200 people have so far been charged with terror-related offences.

Protest is once again under attack in the UK.

On 11 April 2025, the Defend Our Juries campaigning group organised a series of protests across the UK opposing a proposed ban on the Palestine Action group.

That day, over 500 peaceful protesters of all ages were arrested for participating in the protests, many of whom had simply held up signs reading 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' – an entirely peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Since the Palestine Action ban came into force on 5 July 2025, over 3,300 protesters have been arrested for peacefully opposing the ban, nearly half of which have so far been charged with terror-related offences under the UK's 2000 Terrorism Act.

Even if not ultimately convicted, those prosecuted under terror legislation face serious, lasting consequences, including a lifetime criminal record, visa and immigration issues, and a loss of employment, education and travel opportunities.

Although the UK High Court ruled in February 2026 that the ban was unlawful, the police have continued to arrest peaceful protesters and charge them with terror-related offences ahead of the Court of Appeal's ruling in June 2026.

This flagrant and dystopian abuse of police power could have a chilling effect on peaceful protest and civil disobedience up and down the country. And this cannot go unchallenged.

Contact the UK's Chief Prosecutors today to demand that they drop all charges and take no further action against all those across the UK who have protested peacefully in support of Palestine Action.

Download the full Urgent Action here.

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Target: Directors of Public Prosecution and Lord Advocate

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Dear Directors of Public Prosecution and Lord Advocate,

On 11 April, over 500 protesters were arrested for opposing the ban on the ‘Palestine Action’ group at a series of peaceful protests organized by grassroots campaigning group ‘Defend Our Juries’ (DOJ) across the UK.

Since the ban against ‘Palestine Action’ came into effect on 5 July 2025, over 3300 arrests of peaceful protesters have taken place across the country simply for their engagement in acts of peaceful protest opposing the proscription. The majority of these arrests have followed protests organised by Defend Our Juries. To date, over 1200 individuals across the UK have been formally charged with terror-related offences under either section 12 or section 13 of the UK’s 2000 Terrorism Act, and more charges are continuing to be made against the arrested protesters.

Amnesty International sent observers to the DOJ protest on 11 April, held in London’s Trafalgar Square. At this protest, as with all previous DOJ protests, Amnesty International observed protesters holding ‘I oppose Genocide, I support Palestine Action’ signs to be entirely peaceful.

Under international human rights law, to which the UK is bound, any restriction on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be lawful, necessary and proportionate to achieving a legitimate aim. Criminalising speech in this context is only permitted when it incites violence, hatred or discrimination. Expressing support for Palestine Action does not in itself meet this threshold.

The UK’s High Court ruled in February 2026 that the proscription of Palestine Action was unlawful but suspended the effect until a decision from the Court of Appeal, estimated to arrive sometime in June. Following the ruling, police in England & Wales have continued to arrest peaceful protesters in a reckless use of police power which risks breaching the principle of legality.

I urge you to uphold UK’s human rights commitments, drop the charges and not pursue prosecutions against all those who participated in peaceful protests in support of ‘Palestine Action’.

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