Protesters are organizing a gathering in support of Palestine Action at the first Labour Party conference presided over by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The event, described as a "mass, silent sign-holding vigil," will take place on Sunday in Liverpool, near the conference center, in response to the classification of Palestine Action as a "terrorist" group. This designation was made in July 2025, and since then, a civil disobedience campaign has resulted in over 3,600 arrests of individuals supporting the group, often displaying signs that read, "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
Organizers from Defend Our Juries expect several hundred attendees and anticipate further arrests during the protest. They describe the event as an "integrity test" for the new leadership regarding the UK's involvement in Israel's actions against Palestinians.
On Friday, Burnham faced scrutiny after Declassified UK reported that it had been denied media passes to cover the Labour conference, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday. Compared to his predecessors, Burnham has taken a firmer stance against illegal Israeli settlements and settler violence in the occupied West Bank, having announced sanctions earlier this month.
Rights groups and activists are urging Labour to suspend all arms sales to Israel to halt violence in Gaza and the West Bank. They also call for the UK to reverse the ban on Palestine Action, which targets Israel's largest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems.
Defend Our Juries stated, "If [Prime Minister] Burnham means what he says, that he plans to end Britain’s complicity in Israel’s horrific crimes, then he would stop the arrests of people peacefully demonstrating against the genocide and the authoritarian attempts to crush its opponents." They urged Burnham to lift the ban on Palestine Action, asserting that the group is working to prevent British complicity in Israel’s actions.
The Labour Party has faced ongoing criticism regarding its positions on Israel and Palestine. Colm Murphy, a senior lecturer in British politics at Queen Mary University, noted that Labour leaders have gradually shifted their stance on Palestine, with former Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recognition of the Palestinian state being a significant step.
Starmer was in office when the UK designated Palestine Action as a terrorist group. Following the October 2023 Hamas attacks, Starmer stated that Israel had the "right" to cut off water supplies to Gaza, a comment he later retracted. Joseph Willits, head of Parliamentary Affairs at the Council for Arab-British Understanding, remarked that Burnham and Miliband's actions highlight the previous government's inadequacies regarding Palestine.
Before Starmer, Jeremy Corbyn, a long-time supporter of Palestinian rights, led Labour but resigned in late 2019 amid allegations of anti-Semitism. Under Ed Miliband, Labour supported a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood. Miliband has reflected on how his Jewish heritage has influenced his principles.
The future of the ban on Palestine Action under Burnham's leadership remains uncertain, especially following the recent actions of former U.S. President Donald Trump against the group. Murphy suggested that Burnham's Labour might address issues surrounding Palestine Action if they become more prominent in British politics.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera English PUBLISHED: 2026-09-26 08:24:05