LIVERPOOL — More than 50 individuals were taken into custody by law enforcement outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool during a demonstration backing the outlawed group Palestine Action.

A crowd numbering upward of 250 demonstrators had gathered outside the venue to participate in a sit-in organized by the Defend Our Juries campaign. Many participants carried handmade placards bearing slogans that declared support for the proscribed organization.

Prior to taking action, Merseyside Police officers maintained a visible presence around the perimeter. Authorities eventually moved in after warning the demonstrators that displaying materials backing a banned entity violated the law.

Officers questioned individuals on whether they intended to persist in holding the signage before escorting them away. Police confirmed that those detained faced allegations of carrying or wearing items associated with a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act. Among those taken into custody was a 94-year-old human rights barrister, Margaret Owen.

Merseyside Police stated that extensive operational planning had preceded the gathering to balance public safety and the preservation of peace with the right to lawful demonstration. Representatives for the force emphasized that not every individual present at the assembly had engaged in unlawful conduct.

The police response drew swift condemnation from human rights organizations. Amnesty International UK characterized the police intervention as an unacceptable assault on free expression. The group's chief executive argued that peaceful demonstration remains a vital democratic tool and criticized successive administrations for restricting public assembly.

Defend Our Juries representatives expressed disappointment that the government had maintained the prohibition against Palestine Action. Organizers asserted that enforcing the ban consumes substantial public resources and called upon leadership to reconsider the policy.

The legal status of Palestine Action remains a subject of ongoing judicial scrutiny. The Supreme Court previously granted permission for a co-founder of the organization to challenge the proscription, which took effect in July 2025. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood indicated that the administration intends to contest the upcoming legal challenge vigorously.

Government officials have consistently maintained that the decision to ban the organization stems from extensive criminal damage inflicted upon commercial properties rather than an effort to curtail general advocacy for Palestinian issues. While previous rulings by the High Court and Court of Appeal acknowledged that the group's actions involved criminality, legal authorities differed on whether terrorism legislation was the appropriate framework for addressing the issue. The Ministry of Justice was approached for comment regarding the unfolding legal and public safety developments.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.