Activists Plan Silent Vigil at Labour Conference to Challenge Ban

Protesters plan a mass silent vigil in Liverpool this Sunday near the Labour Party conference centre. The demonstration supports Palestine Action and challenges its recent proscription as a terrorist group by the UK government under former leadership.

Defend Our Juries organizes the event as an integrity test for Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The rights group urges the new premier to drop the ban and end British complicity in alleged Israeli war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories.

Since the outlawing of Palestine Action in July 2025, authorities have arrested more than three thousand six hundred people. Many detainees held signs stating their opposition to genocide and support for the group, which targets weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.

Organizers expect several hundred attendees and further arrests during the peaceful sign-holding action. They argue that stopping these arrests is essential if Burnham truly intends to halt UK involvement in what they describe as horrific crimes committed by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.

Burnham recently announced sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements and settler violence. This stance contrasts with his predecessor Keir Starmer, who proscribed the activist group and initially supported Israel’s right to cut off Gaza’s water supply after the October 2023 Hamas attacks.

Political analysts suggest Burnham may seek to defang the issue to maintain party unity. Experts note that while recent sanctions show political will, reversing the ban remains uncertain amid potential conflicts with US policy under President Donald Trump, who also outlawed the group.