How many arrested for supporting palirstine
Executive summary
Arrest figures for people "supporting Palestine" vary widely by country, protest and definition: reported UK arrests tied to support for the proscribed group Palestine Action total at least 2,489 as of late‑November 2025 [1], while a single January 2025 London march produced 77 arrests under the Public Order Act [2]. U.S. campus and city actions saw thousands arrested in some episodes (more than 3,200 cited for multiple demonstrations), but counting methods and legal grounds differ across sources [3] [4].
1. Arrest totals are not a single, comparable number
Different outlets and institutions report arrests for different things: policing operations that target specific organisations (e.g., Palestine Action) use terrorism or proscription laws; campus crackdowns use local criminal or administrative processes; and mass demonstrations often yield many brief detentions that may not lead to charges. For example, Wikipedia and related reporting state "at least 2,489 individuals" have been arrested in Britain for showing support for Palestine Action since the group's proscription on 5 July 2025 [1], while academic analysis notes 77 arrests during one January 2025 central London march, charged under the Public Order Act [2].
2. UK prosecutions tied to proscription produced a large, discrete total
The proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025 changed the legal framework and produced a concentrated tally: sources say the government proscribed the group under the Terrorism Act 2000, after which police arrested large numbers—Wikipedia reporting "at least 2,489 people" arrested most commonly for holding signs supporting Palestine Action, with specific sit‑ins on Parliament and Trafalgar squares singled out [1]. That figure is organisation‑specific and does not represent all arrests tied to broader pro‑Palestine sentiment.
3. Large public marches generated many arrests but often few prosecutions
Mass mobilisation produced numerous detentions but comparatively few charges in some contexts. OpenDemocracy found 153 arrests in London between October and the end of December 2023 in Operation Brock’s data, with most released without charge (117 released) and only 36 prosecutions referenced — illustrating the gap between arrests and onward legal consequence [5]. A separate academic account recorded 77 arrests at a January 2025 London march, again under public‑order legislation rather than terrorism statutes [2].
4. U.S. campus and municipal episodes produced wide, disputed tallies
U.S. reporting and advocacy groups catalogue thousands detained during multiple campus and city actions. The Appeal cites "more than 3,200 demonstrators" arrested across various events as police responded to encampments and protests [3]. Human Rights Watch documented federal and local enforcement actions that included arrests and targeted deportation efforts against noncitizen students and scholars tied to pro‑Palestine activism, framing the measures as part of a "sweeping effort" by the U.S. government [4]. These counts mix student encampment arrests, campus police actions and sometimes federal immigration detentions, which complicates direct comparison [3] [4].
5. Local incidents show variety in enforcement and charges
Individual protests and actions produce very different law‑enforcement responses. A Norfolk demonstration led to 10 arrests for allegedly displaying placards in support of Palestine Action, with police invoking Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 [6]. In Boston, a violent rally led to 13 arrests and upgraded felony charges for many defendants after clashes with police [7]. A New York retail protest produced one arrest for trespass and three summonses amid dozens of protesters [8]. These snapshots show enforcement ranging from summons to felony counts based on conduct and local statute [6] [7] [8].
6. Definitions matter: "supporting Palestine" vs. "supporting a proscribed group"
Many sources distinguish between general pro‑Palestine solidarity (marches, encampments, cultural support) and activity explicitly tied to a proscribed organisation. The big UK number specifically concerns alleged support for Palestine Action after its proscription [1]. Human Rights Watch and OpenDemocracy discuss broader patterns—campus arrests and policing of mass marches—without collapsing all those encounters into a single legal category [4] [5].
7. Reporting limitations and competing perspectives
Available sources show numbers but use different methodologies: police tallies; media aggregations; advocacy and academic counts. Wikipedia summarises arrests tied to a proscribed group [1]; academic work emphasises arrests at one march [2]; watchdogs focus on government policy and civil‑liberties implications [4]. Some sources highlight low prosecution rates relative to mass turnout [5]. Available sources do not provide a single authoritative global total for "arrested for supporting Palestine."
8. Takeaway for readers
If you want a defensible number, use context: cite the jurisdiction, the law invoked, and whether the figure counts arrests, charges or convictions. For UK arrests tied to Palestine Action, the best available figure in these sources is "at least 2,489" [1]. For campus and broader protest waves in the U.S. and UK, totals differ by episode and counting method [3] [4] [5].