Saturday, September 26, 2026

Pro-Palestine Group Plans Protest at UK Labour Conference

September 26, 2026 0 Abu Ramadan

A pro-Palestine protest group is planning a demonstration in support of Palestine Action during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, which is being led by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

The group Defend Our Juries said it would hold a mass, silent vigil on Sunday near the conference centre to protest the UK government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.

The group said the demonstration would also call for the government to lift the ban on Palestine Action, which was outlawed in July 2025.

More than 3,600 people have reportedly been arrested since the ban was introduced for publicly expressing support for the organisation, with some protesters holding signs stating: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Defend Our Juries expects several hundred people to attend Sunday’s protest and described it as a test of the new Labour government’s position on the issue.

Burnham’s government has taken measures against Israeli settlements and settler violence in the occupied West Bank, including sanctions announced earlier this month. However, activists and rights groups are also calling on the government to suspend arms sales to Israel and reverse the ban on Palestine Action.

Palestine Action has primarily targeted Elbit Systems, one of Israel’s major defence companies.

The Labour Party’s position on Israel and Palestine has changed over the years. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government proscribed Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act, while the party under Jeremy Corbyn was strongly associated with support for Palestinian rights.

The protest comes as questions continue over whether Burnham’s government will reconsider the ban on Palestine Action. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the issue could receive greater political attention if the demonstrations increase its prominence in British politics.

The Labour Party conference is scheduled to run from Sunday to Wednesday in Liverpool.