Police in Liverpool have arrested 82 demonstrators on suspicion of displaying support for the banned organisation Palestine Action outside the Labour Party's Annual Conference.

Merseyside Police confirmed they dealt with 161 people in total following an organised demonstration in the city centre yesterday. Activists gathered at The Wheel of Liverpool from around 12.30pm, with overall crowds estimated to have reached roughly 180 people.

According to the force, 82 individuals were detained on suspicion of wearing or carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation. All of those arrested were taken into police custody and have since been released on bail, while another 79 people were reported for summons. Officers noted that not everyone attending the gathering was deemed to have committed an offence.

To give you the context behind the arrests, Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in June 2025. That decision followed a series of direct action incidents, including activists breaking into an RAF base in Oxfordshire. Under the law, holding membership in or showing public support for a proscribed group carries a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison.

The demonstration was arranged by Defend Our Juries, a campaign group that organises events for the banned organisation. The group had urged supporters to head to Liverpool to apply pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham—attending his first Autumn Conference as party leader and head of government—calling on him to overturn the ban and alter government policy on Gaza.

Detailing the security operation, Superintendent Peter Clark of Force Operations at Merseyside Police confirmed his team had put a comprehensive policing plan into effect alongside partners including the Liverpool Experience Campus, event organisers, and security providers. He stated that while the force respects the right to protest, "where offences are committed, proportionate action will be taken."

A Merseyside Police spokesman added that the force "respects everyone’s rights to protest lawfully, while also aiming to keep the peace and ensure the public are safe," noting that coordinated plans were established beforehand to ensure enforcement remained consistent and fair.

The demonstrations also led to direct confrontations with senior ministers elsewhere in the city centre. During a separate incident linked to the protest, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was approached by two activists while dining at a Pizza Express in central Liverpool.

In footage posted online, the activists challenged the Foreign Secretary directly, saying: "We would like you to de-proscribe Palestine Action. We would like you to declare genocide in Gaza." After being moved away by Mr Miliband's team, the activists claimed hundreds were facing arrest nearby over ministerial decisions, arguing that peaceful demonstrators and pensioners were being detained.

What we don't know yet is how many of the 79 individuals reported for summons will eventually face formal court proceedings, or when those released on bail will learn whether prosecutors will take their cases forward. Heavy security around the conference venue remains in place.

I'll be following this one — check back for updates.