Huge marches are taking place across Britain today in the face of calls for them to be cancelled following the Manchester synagogue attacks.
A protests in support of Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square has sparked a number of arrests this afternoon, while six people were detained earlier after unfurling a banner in support of the banned group on Westminster Bridge.
On Friday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people intending to take part in the pro-Palestine demonstrations to "recognise and respect the grief of British Jews" and acknowledge that they were likely to cause "distress" following this week's terror attacks on Yom Kippur. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood meanwhile called for protesters to "step back" and allow people to grieve, adding: "To anybody who is thinking about going on a protest, what I would say is imagine that is you who has had a family member murdered on the holiest day of your faith".
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police on Thursday outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building. Congregation members Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the attack. Police say Mr Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants bravely barricaded the synagogue to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men remain in hospital with serious injuries.
Watch: Scenes from today's protest
Hundreds arrested at pro-Palestine protest in London against proscription of Palestine Action group. Thread .. pic.twitter.com/iyD1C9n5bN
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) October 4, 2025
Protests end but police remain on scene
The protest in Whitehall have concluded, but officers remain in the area to respond to any incidents, the Met Police say.
Policing operation ends with 493 people arrested
The Met Police say they've now arrested 493 people.
The force said: "The policing operation in Trafalgar Square has concluded. The current arrest total is 493, but we are continuing to process some of those arrested in the final hour so the number may increase further."
Protesters ordered to leave Whitehall
Around 7.20pm, the Metropolitan Police said: "Public Order Act conditions have been imposed on the protest in Whitehall requiring protesters to leave the road and assemble in Richmond Terrace.
"Officers remain in the area to enforce the conditions. We will reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so."
Met Police arrest 442 people during London protest
The Metropolitan Police said a total of 442 people have been arrested during protests in London in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
The force posted on X: "As of 6.30pm officers had arrested 442 people for supporting a proscribed organisation. A different protest group gathered in Whitehall, blocking the road before trying to march first towards Trafalgar Square, then Parliament Square. Officers have intervened."
PSNI join in with arrests in London
Officers from the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) have assisted in arresting some of the last few protesters.
The officers were heckled by one woman who shouted "shame on you, don't you know your history?" as they helped carry a man who had been arrested in Trafalgar Square away from crowds. A few people remain in Trafalgar Square holding up signs in support of Palestine Action.
'We are going to win this battle,' says protester
A protester supporting Palestine Action said "we are going to win this battle" as he awaited arrest in Trafalgar Square.
Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, said he expects to be arrested for holding a poster supporting the banned group as police continue to detain activists. He said he is here again "because of the genocide, the absolute, dreadful inhumanity of the Israeli state in the way that is treating the people of Palestine".
Asked why he did not heed Sir Keir Starmer's calls to postpone or cancel today’s action, he said: "Well, I didn't think he negotiated with terrorists. We#re supposed to be terrorists, aren't we Sir Keir now, either we are or we're not. If we're not terrorists, then leave us alone. Let us protest. Let us demonstrate for the right to freedom of speech."
He added: "We are going to win this battle, by the way, there"s no doubt about that. The problem for me is that I want to win it now to try and bring an end to the suffering in Palestine."
Multiple demonstrators carried away by police
As a woman read out the names of Palestinian children killed in Gaza, police continued arresting people for supporting banned group Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square. Among those arrested was a blind man and his partner as they sat in Trafalgar Square holding signs supporting banned group Palestine Action.
The blind man using a white cane was escorted by a police officer to be processed and his partner walked behind him. A number of images show groups of officers carrying demonstrators away to arrest them.
Jewish woman and daughter of Holocaust survivor among those arrested
Defend Our Juries, which organised today's Lift the Ban event, said 79-year-old Elizabeth Morley, a Jewish woman and daughter of a Holocaust survivor, is among the the hundreds to be arrested. The campaign group said this is the third time Ms Taylor has been arrested at such a protest.
Number of arrests rise to 355
The Metropolitan Police said a total of 355 people have been arrested during protests in London in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
"As of 5.20pm, 355 people had been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation," the force said on X. "The majority of people still remaining in Trafalgar Square are onlookers who are not holding placards in support of Palestine Action. Arrests continue."
Today's protests in pictures
Thousands gathered in Central London this afternoon and risked arrest during the latest 'Lift the Ban' protest in support of the pro-Palestinian campaign group, Palestine Action.
The government proscribed the group as a terrorist organization in July, after four group members broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painted two Voyager aircraft in June. The Met Police have arrested 175 people so far.
A seperate crowd emerged in Manchester to oppose Irsael's genocide in Gaza, while another demonstration, organised by GM Friends of Palestine, took place at Manchester Cathedral. A sign read: "Jewish Action for Palestine".
The march and protest saw the crowd gathered and stood in silence as the names and ages of some of the thousands of children killed in Gaza were read out, before protesters dispersed at around 3pm.
Sadiq Khan: 'Londoners must be united in our rejection of hatred'
In the wake of the terror attack on Heaton Park synagogue, Sadiq Khan has called on Londoners from all communities to "stand together."
He wrote: As we head into the weekend, there will be increased police presence in and around synagogues across the capital. [...] Now more than ever, Londoners from all communities must stand together, show allyship to our Jewish friends and neighbours, and be united in our rejection of hatred."
Now, more than ever, Londoners from all communities must stand together, show allyship to our Jewish friends and neighbours, and be united in our rejection of hatred. pic.twitter.com/znVef7Z9TV
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 3, 2025
Met Police arrest 175 people in London
The Metropolitan Police said 175 people have been arrested during protests in London in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
The force said on X: "Our policing operation in Trafalgar Square continues. As of 3.45pm officers had made 175 arrests for supporting a proscribed organisation, including the six on Westminster Bridge earlier.
"The arrest phase takes time. Many of those arrested won’t walk out of the square and need to be carried, something that requires a minimum of five officers to do safely."
Protesters gather in Manchester
Happening now in #Manchester — Pro-Palestinian protesters, including Jewish groups, have gathered around Manchester Cathedral to call for an end to Israeli killings in Gaza. A small group of counter-protesters is also present. #GlobalSumudFlotilla pic.twitter.com/b8S7ChmbXS
— Zübeyir Koçulu (@zubeyirkoculu) October 4, 2025
'Conflating Israel's genocide in Gaza with British Jews is dangerous'
Zarah Sultana MP has accused Keir Starmer of "conflating Israel's genocide in Gaza with British Jews," adding that many people, including British Jews themselves, will be out protesting today.
In a message posted to X this morning, Starmer urged those protesting "to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews." He added: "This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain. It is a time to stand together."
Sulatana replied: "People from all walks of life - including many British Jews - are protesting against your government's complicity in genocide and standing in solidarity with Palestine. Conflating Israel's genocide in Gaza with British Jews is deeply inappropriate and dangerous. Shame on you."
Large demonstration being held in Manchester
The protest in Manchester city centre by GM Friends of Palestine has seen flags and banners held aloft, though these do not appear to refer to the proscribed group Palestine Action.
Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Stephen Watson had urged would-be attendees at the protest to "consider whether this is really the right time" following the attack at the synagogue on Thursday, which left two dead and three people in hospital with serious injuries.
Protests are also taking place in other parts of the country
Pro-Palestine demonsrations are being held in multiple towns and cities across the country - including Bournemouth, where a 'Red Line for Palestine' protest was organised on the beach for the second day of the Green Party Conference.
Some attendees at Trafalgar Square protest 'just observing'
Police have also provided an update on the Trafalgar Square protest, where they say officers have "begun making arrests" after placards were displayed in support of banned group Palestine Action.
They added: "The square is busy, but quite a few people in the crowd appear to be observing/supporting but not carrying placards themselves."
Six people arrested for Palestine Action banner
The Met Police have confirmed that six people have been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation after a banner in support of Palestine Action was unfurled on Westminster Bridge.
A group of six people unfurled a banner in support of Palestine Action on Westminster Bridge.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) October 4, 2025
Officers were quickly on scene, the banner had been removed and the six people involved have been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation. pic.twitter.com/NQOz3GEvsk
Arrests made at Trafalgar Square protest
Multiple arrests have been made at the Defend our Juries protest in support of Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square.
Video from the scene shows officers detaining people and removing them from the scene, some of whom are being carried away after lying on the ground.
Pro-Palestine protest gets underway in Manchester
Flags are being flown at the protest in Manchester city centre, which is being organised by the GM Friends of Palestine group.
Palestine Action banner draped over Westminster Bridge
A large banner showing support for banned group Palestine Action has been draped over Westminster Bridge.
Photographs from the scene show a banner that reads: 'I oppose genocide - I support Palestine action'.
Police describe Palestine Action protest as 'mass law breaking event'
This afternoon's protests in Trafalgar Square by the Defend Our Juries group is set to involve people displaying placards in support of Palestine Action - an organisation proscribed by the Government since July.
The Met Police have described the planned demonstration as "mass law breaking event", with Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley adding: "By deliberately choosing to encourage mass law breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.
“People have been debating for the last two years whether pro-Palestinian protests are simply a call for peace, or have an implicit intention to stir up antisemitism. Continuing such protests within hours of Thursday’s awful terrorist murder of British Jews, when communities are most fearful, will likely create further tensions and some might say lacks sensitivity."
Protest in Manchester to begin shortly
A large police presence is expected at the pro-Palestine march, which is due to get underway outside Manchester Cathedral shortly.
Manchester attacker was on bail for rape and wore fake explosives
Head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor said yesterday that a "suspicious device" attached to Al-Shamie's torso had been confirmed as fake following analysis and that police believed he "may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology".
He added: "Based on some fast time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing, however he does have a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history.
"This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed."
Police increase patrols at synagogues
Police have stepped up patrols at synagogues across the Manchester area following the terrorist attack which killed two people.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said the force had increased patrols to reassure the community, while heightened security measures are in place at Jewish religous sites across the country.
He said: "We're continuing to respond effectively to emergencies in the region while ensuring that every available officer in Greater Manchester is currently deployed to provide reassurance, particularly amongst our Jewish communities, at what is a time of profound distress and sorrow.
"We have been patrolling places of worship across the city-region, with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities in north Manchester, Bury and Salford."
Six people being questioned over Manchester attack as police raid house
Last police raided a house in Central Avenue, Bolton, with a total of six people now detained on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in connection with Thursday's attack.
Counter-terrorism police saying they will seek warrants to give them extra time to continue questioning them.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35 - who it emerged was on bail for an alleged rape - was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
One of the marches is in support of banned group
In Central London, a demonstration in central London against the proscription of Palestine Action is set to bring together more than 1,500 people - less than 48 hours after the synagogue attacks.
It sparks the risk of further trouble, with over 1,400 people arrested at protests in recent weeks for showing support for the banned group.
Palestine Action has been linked to vandalism of RAF aircraft at Brize Norton, and break-ins at various factories which the group claim are supplying the Israeli military.