‘Everyone’ to defy UK government’s farcical ‘cat and mouse’ game of arrests

On Saturday 11 April 2026, thousands of ordinary, peace-loving people will gather in Trafalgar Square, London. They’ll be there in open defiance of the UK government’s misguided crackdown on peaceful protest. This peaceful vigil, called ‘Everyone Day’, will demonstrate the unwaning resistance to the ban on Palestine Action. The UK government unlawfully proscribed this direct action movement as a ‘terrorist group’, paving the way for numerous arrests.

The action will be a peaceful vigil, with people sitting down holding their handwritten paper signs. The signs will carry the by now world-famous words:

I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action

Since July 2025, nearly 2,800 people have been arrested under terrorism legislation for holding these signs during peaceful vigils, as part of what was described as the “most widespread mass civil disobedience in modern UK history”.

In February, the High Court ruled that the government’s proscription of Palestine Action was unlawful and disproportionate. The effect of this judgment has been stayed to allow for the government to appeal.

The Met flip-flopping over arrests

Shortly after the ruling, the Metropolitan police issued a clear public statement that they would not arrest people for publicly displaying support for Palestine Action. Instead, the Met said that ‘gathering intelligence’ was the most proportionate action it could take. Only a few weeks later, the Met contradicted this public position by arresting a woman on a peaceful march.

In the weeks that followed, the Met issued a further statement marking a complete U-turn, saying that it would be arresting people after all. It is unclear what prompted this reassessment of proportionality other than correspondence from Defend Our Juries and the organisation of Everyone Day.

The Met’s U-Turn has come under fire, with leading law firm Hodge Jones & Allen arguing that any arrests would be unlawful. Nonetheless, a further 19 people have been arrested for showing support for Palestine Action since the policy change, with further arrests expected during Saturday’s action.

A spokesperson from Defend Our Juries said:

The protest against the proscription of Palestine Action has grown beyond a question of the right to protest. The actions of the UK government and police following the High Court’s ruling expose what many have long known: democracy in the UK is on its knees.

The government’s refusal to accept the judgment of the country’s highest court, coupled with inconsistent and opaque policing decisions, signals a troubling disregard for the rule of law. These are not the actions of institutions committed to protecting citizens, but of a state prioritising its own authority.

This campaign now extends far beyond Palestine Action, beyond Gaza, and beyond the principles of protest and free speech. It speaks to a fundamental erosion of the right to dissent and to hold power to account. This is no longer a marginal issue – it concerns everyone who values democratic freedoms.

Defend Our Juries reminds those planning to attend Everyone Day to read the Action Briefing in full before attending, which includes important legal information. It reminds participants to not have on their person any incriminating bits of paper, sharp items, valuables, drugs (except labelled prescription), phones with sensitive information, or items used to ‘lock on’.

Defend Our Juries gently reminds all attendees, whether sitting vigil participants or spectators, that this is a peaceful vigil and asks everyone to respect this.

Featured image via Defend Our Juries