Arab News | Palestine Action arrests fuel free-speech concerns as poll finds 54% of Britons distrust government

LONDON: More than half of Britons believe the UK government only protects free speech with which it agrees, according to new polling released as police arrested demonstrators supporting the proscribed Palestine Action group outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

The survey, commissioned by human rights organization Liberty and conducted by More in Common, found that 54 percent of Britons believe the government only protects speech it agrees with.

The findings came as more than 200 people gathered outside the Labour conference on Sunday, with demonstrators holding signs supporting Palestine Action. Police arrested people suspected of displaying material in support of the group under the Terrorism Act.

Liberty said the polling was a “very clear warning sign” for Prime Minister Andy Burnham and argued that the government’s approach to free speech was contributing to accusations of inconsistent enforcement, The Independent reported.

The organization said the findings were particularly concerning because the aspect of free speech most valued by Britons was the ability to criticize the government and those in power.

Luke Tryl, director at More in Common, said the polling suggested concerns about the ability to speak freely crossed political lines.

“Britons prize their ability to criticise the government, to express their views without legal or professional consequences, and to debate issues openly,” he said.

The polling was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,017 people in Great Britain between Sept. 11 and 15. It also found that three in five respondents said a political party’s position on free speech would affect how they voted at a general election.

The debate has intensified around Palestine Action since the group was proscribed by the UK government in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The UK Home Office said at the time that the group had carried out serious attacks against property, including at defense-related sites, and that its activities met the legal threshold for proscription. Under the ban, membership of Palestine Action or inviting or recklessly expressing support for the group can constitute a criminal offence.

The government has maintained that the right to free speech and peaceful protest remains protected, while arguing that supporting a proscribed organization is distinct from expressing views about the conflict in Gaza or criticizing government policy.

The Home Office has said: “Freedom of speech and peaceful protest are fundamental rights that this government will always protect. But there is a clear difference between expressing a view and engaging in unlawful behaviour — such as inciting hatred and violence or supporting proscribed organisations.”

The number of arrests linked to support for Palestine Action has risen sharply since its proscription. Official Home Office figures recorded 2,819 such arrests in the year to March 31, 2026, with 484 resulting in charges at the time of the latest published figures.