Police in Liverpool have arrested dozens of supporters of the banned group Palestine Action on Sunday, as they gathered outside the venue for the Labour Party’s annual conference.

Palestine Action was outlawed in July under Britain’s anti-terror laws, making membership or public support a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. 

At London’s Old Bailey, prosecutors told the court that six defendants, three men and three women, had organised at least 13 online meetings since the proscription, encouraging mass civil disobedience to test the enforceability of the ban. 

To date, authorities say around 1,500 people have been arrested in connection with offences tied to the Palestine Action ban. 

At the Liverpool protest, participants displayed signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”

Merseyside Police confirmed they were arresting individuals suspected of carrying items or displaying materials supporting a proscribed organisation.

The clash underlines the tension between new counter-terrorism measures and civil liberties, particularly as the UK cracks down on political activism that challenges state policy on Israel and Gaza.

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