British police arrested five men and two women on Sunday at a peace encampment outside the Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath base in eastern England. The protesters were taken into custody on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, an activist group the UK government designated a terrorist organization last year.
The Lakenheath Alliance for Peace, which organized the demonstration, reported that the individuals were arrested while wearing clothing emblazoned with the slogan: “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action.”
Legal status of the protest
Under current British law, belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed group is a criminal offense. Police confirmed the arrests in a statement, noting their legal obligation to enforce the law “as it currently stands, not as it might be in the future.”
The legal standing of Palestine Action remains in flux. While the Labour government maintains the ban, a court ruled in February that the designation was “disproportionate” and infringed upon free speech rights. The government has appealed that ruling, leaving the original ban in effect during the judicial process.
According to the advocacy group Defend Our Juries, more than 2,700 people have been arrested and hundreds charged in relation to rallies supporting the organization. Two additional protesters were arrested at the Lakenheath site on Saturday and charged with obstructing public thoroughfares, according to local authorities.
Activists gathered at the base to protest the alleged use of the facility as a staging point for US aircraft involved in the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. The Lakenheath base is a key site for US military operations in the region.
The diplomatic relationship between the UK and the US has faced recent pressure. US President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what he describes as insufficient British support in the conflict with Iran.
The UK government maintains that it has authorized the use of its military bases for "defensive" operations. Officials state these missions are intended to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes during peacetime.
