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The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting people for showing support for Palestine Action despite High Court ruling

ukfactcheck.com 14 April 2026 at 12:45 View original article →

The original link is the material being checked. It may contain false or misleading claims — we link for transparency, not endorsement.

62/100
Verdict Mixed Mixed (Partly Verified; Material Elements Unverified)

The article’s core news claim—that the Metropolitan Police said it would resume arrests for showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action despite a High Court ruling finding the proscription unlawful—is well supported by reputable, up-to-date reporting and aligns with the legal position that the proscription remained in force pending appeal.

✓ 4 checks out ✕ 0 disputed ? 5 unverified
☰ Full analysis The complete summary ⌄

The article’s core news claim—that the Metropolitan Police said it would resume arrests for showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action despite a High Court ruling finding the proscription unlawful—is well supported by reputable, up-to-date reporting and aligns with the legal position that the proscription remained in force pending appeal. However, several high-impact details (notably the claim that the government’s appeal was set for “the end of April”, the “more than 2,500 arrested” total as stated in the article’s framing, and the specific allegations about denial/withdrawal of electrolytes and medical mistreatment during named hunger strikes) cannot be robustly confirmed from primary or sufficiently corroborated sources within this review. The piece also uses loaded language (e.g., “genocide”, “dehumanised”) and advocacy framing that may influence readers’ interpretation beyond the verified facts.

What checked out (4)
  • The Metropolitan Police said it would resume arresting people who show support for Palestine Action after previously indicating it would stop making such arrests following a High Court ruling that found the proscription unlawful. (Guardian, 25 Mar 2026). https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/25/met-resume-arresting-people-who-support-palestine-action
  • Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman is quoted in reputable reporting explaining that the High Court ruling’s practical effect would not take place until the government’s appeal is considered, and that while Palestine Action remains proscribed, support remains unlawful under the Terrorism Act and enforcement may involve arrests. (Guardian, 25 Mar 2026). https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/25/met-resume-arresting-people-who-support-palestine-action
  • The High Court ruled on 13 February 2026 that the government acted unlawfully in proscribing Palestine Action, while the ban remained in place pending further legal process/appeal. (AP, 13 Feb 2026). https://apnews.com/article/2fbb7f5e2e090881193b9328323d2ec4
  • At least one widely reported London protest involved arrests of large numbers of people for showing support for the banned/proscribed group Palestine Action, including people holding signs along the lines of “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” (AP, Sep 2025; AP, Apr 2026). https://apnews.com/article/a3be82e2c3716a934170f8e840841004 ; https://apnews.com/article/e07941773b6b7f2be75e27c21853ad2c
? Unverified claims 5 claims ⌄
  • “The government’s appeal is set to be heard at the end of April.” (The appeal date is not confirmed here from an authoritative court listing; one non-mainstream secondary source asserts 28 April 2026, and Wikipedia repeats it, but this review did not obtain a definitive Court of Appeal listing for the merits appeal date.) https://www.untelevised.media/articles/the-uk-s-war-on-protest-how-zionist-lobbying-and-israeli-embassy-interference-criminalised/ ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Action
  • “More than 2,500 people have already been arrested in connection with protests linked to Palestine Action.” (A figure in this range appears in Wikipedia, but the article’s wording/attribution is not corroborated here by an official police/government dataset or a single high-quality secondary source that clearly supports the same aggregate definition.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Action
  • “One woman was reportedly arrested in London after holding a sign stating that she opposed genocide and supported the group.” (Arrests for holding such signs are reported; the specific ‘one woman’ anecdote is not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed.) https://apnews.com/article/e07941773b6b7f2be75e27c21853ad2c
  • Specific allegations that Heba Muraisi was denied electrolytes and only given vitamins after 30 days; that Qesser Zuhrah did not receive electrolytes until 20 days and they were later withdrawn after she collapsed; and that Kamran Ahmed continued to suffer chest pains/shortness of breath with “others” reporting neurological issues. (These are serious, detail-heavy medical/treatment claims. This review found general reporting of prolonged hunger strikes by named individuals and concerns about deterioration, but not sufficient corroboration from primary documentation or multiple reputable secondary sources validating each treatment-detail as stated.) https://news.sky.com/story/three-palestine-action-members-end-73-day-hunger-strike-13494311 ; https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/hunger-striker-heba-muraisi-linked-palestine-action ; https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/8/palestine-action-hunger-strikers-near-death-intent-on-continuing-protests
  • “The government has denied wrongdoing, claiming that prisoners were monitored by medical professionals and treated in line with existing procedures…” (A Ministry of Justice/HMPPS-style line appears in reporting, but the article’s phrasing attributes it to ‘the government’ broadly; verification here is partial and not tied to an official press statement in the evidence set.) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/hunger-striker-heba-muraisi-linked-palestine-action
⌕ Sources & how we checked Search journal, source grades, confidence ⌄
Confidence

Medium — Confidence is medium because the central legal/policing claims are strongly corroborated by reputable outlets and a primary High Court judgment, but several consequential details (appeal hearing date phrasing; aggregate arrest total as framed; and granular prison medical-treatment allegations) could not be confirmed to a high standard with authoritative or multiply corroborated sources within this review.

Search journal

Metropolitan Police "resume arresting" support for "Palestine Action" High Court ruling unlawful proscription March 2026

Britain's High Court ruled government acted illegally in outlawing protest group Palestine Action February 13 2026

London police arrested more than 200 at protest backing banned group Palestine Action April 2026 Trafalgar Square

Heba Muraisi hunger strike 73 days Kamran Ahmed Palestine Action Sky News January 2026

end of April 2026 appeal hearing Palestine Action proscription government appeal set to be heard end of April 2026

Article metrics

Emotion 12% · Reading grade 16.8 · 942 words

≡ The article we checked Full text as retrieved ⌄
# The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting people for showing support for Palestine Action despite High Court ruling - UK Fact Check Politics [Fact Checker]( Us]( [Sign In]( Free]( [Fact Checker]( Us]( * [Politics]( * [NHS]( * [Elections]( * [Middle East]( * [Israel-Gaza]( * [Fact Checking News]( * [Editorial]( * [World]( * [UK]( [UK FACT CHECK POLITICS]( Tuesday, April 14, 2026 [# UK FACT CHECK POLITICS]( Independent reporting, transparently verified by objective AI fact-checking ##### Menu ###### Categories * [Politics]( * [NHS]( * [Elections]( * [Middle East]( * [Israel-Gaza]( * [Fact Checking News]( * [Editorial]( * [World]( * [UK]( ###### Latest * [Fact Checker]( * [Support Us]( [Support Us]( Search Articles ###### About * [About / Masthead]( * [Complaints]( * [Terms & Conditions]( * [Privacy Policy]( * [Editorial Standards]( * [Our Fact-Checking]( * [Corrections & Updates]( * [Paid Partners]( * [Sitemap]( ###### Get Involved * [Write for Us]( * [Contact Us]( ###### Account * [Sign In]( * [Join Free]( ###### Follow Us [Follow UK Fact Check on Instagram]( UK Fact Check on Facebook]( View all results ###### Popular Categories [Politics]( East]( Checking News]( 1. [Home]( 2. [Politics]( 3. The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting people for showing support for Palestine Action despite High Court ruling # The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting people for showing support for Palestine Action despite High Court ruling 11:11 on 28/03/26 | Updated: 11:15 on 28/03/26 |[Rustam Wahab]( []( "Share on Telegram")[]( "Share on Twitter/X")[]( "Share on Facebook")[]( "Share on LinkedIn") ## Listen to Article Your browser does not support the audio element. The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting people for showing support for Palestine Action, despite a High Court ruling that found the government’s ban on the group to be unlawful. After the ruling, the force initially said it would stop making arrests under the Terrorism Act and instead gather evidence while awaiting further legal developments. That position has now been reversed. Police say that because the government is appealing the decision, the ban remains in force for now and will continue to be enforced. Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the court ruling does not yet change the law in practice. He stated that while the High Court found the proscription unlawful, its impact will not take effect until the government’s appeal is decided, which could take months. He added that this means support for Palestine Action remains a criminal offence and that police must enforce the law as it currently stands, not as it might be in the future. The government’s appeal is set to be heard at the end of April, meaning the group will remain banned until then. The decision comes amid growing outrage from activists and civil liberties groups who argue that people are being criminalised simply for opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza and expressing solidarity with Palestinians. More than 2,500 people have already been arrested in connection with protests linked to Palestine Action. One woman was reportedly arrested in London after holding a sign stating that she opposed genocide and supported the group, highlighting concerns about the policing of political speech. At the same time, several Palestine Action supporters who were imprisoned while awaiting trial have spoken out about what they say was severe mistreatment behind bars. A number of activists went on prolonged hunger strikes in protest, with some refusing food for over two months. Heba Muraisi, who was on hunger strike for 73 days, said she was denied electrolytes and only given vitamins after 30 days. Qesser Zuhrah, who refused food for 48 days, said she did not receive electrolytes until 20 days into her protest and that they were later withdrawn after she collapsed. Kamran Ahmed, who was on hunger strike for 66 days, said he continues to suffer chest pains and shortness of breath, while others reported ongoing neurological issues. The activists say they were left traumatised and dehumanised, accusing prison authorities of medical negligence and a failure to provide basic care during life threatening conditions. Lawyers are now being consulted over potential legal action. The government has denied wrongdoing, claiming that prisoners were monitored by medical professionals and treated in line with existing procedures, including regular health checks and hospital transfers where necessary. Campaigners say the situation raises serious concerns about the use of terrorism laws against pro Palestine activism and the wider treatment of those who speak out against the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. ## Join the Discussion Have something to say? Join the conversation! Sign in to share your thoughts and engage with other readers. [Sign In]( Account]( No comments yet Be the first to share your thoughts on this article! ## Related [Politics ### Richard Tice’s property investment company broke the law after failing to pay £91,000 in tax Apr 13, 2026]( Politics ### Fried foods such as chicken nuggets and fish and chips are set to be removed from school menus as part of efforts to tackle childhood obesity. 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