Arrests for terrorism-related offences are up 660% from last year after Palestine Action was banned.
Official figures released by the government show 1,630, or 86%, of the 1,886 arrests for terrorism-related activity in the year to the end of September 2025 were linked to supporting the group.
There were a total of 248 terrorism-related arrests in the whole of the previous year.
Palestine Action was added to the list of banned terrorist organisations on 5 July, and the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, is taking legal action against the Home Office over the decision.
The law change makes membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, while wearing a T-shirt, or carrying a sign, with the group’s name can attract a maximum six-month sentence.
The vast majority of the total arrests – 1,706 – came in the last reported quarter, July to September 2025, during which the ban came in, representing a 2,608% increase compared to April to June 2025, when there were 63 arrests.
Of these arrests, 1,630 were linked to supporting Palestine Action.
Five Palestine Action prisoners taken to hospital as hunger strike continues
Sally Rooney tells court new books may not be published in UK due to Palestine Action ban
Bodycam footage of alleged sledgehammer attack on police shown at trial of Palestine Action activists
The remaining 256 terrorism-related arrests across the year represent a 3% rise compared to the previous year. Of those, 76 were in the most recent quarter – a rise of 21% compared with April to June.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
There was a record count of arrests involving children, with 53 aged 17 and under, just one of which had a Palestine Action connection, with minors accounting for around 20% of the 256.
According to the figures, 319, or 17%, of the total arrests have resulted in a charge, including 243 linked to Palestine Action, compared to 47% of arrests resulting in charges for the previous year.
The data also show a demographic shift driven by the Palestine Action arrests, with those arrested 4.4 times more likely to be female and the average age of 57, compared to 30 for other terrorism arrests.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
It does not include figures for the last three months, which have seen further protests against the ban and more mass arrests.
Nearly 500 people, aged between 18 and 89 were arrested at a protest in central London, two days after the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
