Peter Tatchell arrested at Palestine solitary march

Human rights and LGBTQ+ campaigner Peter Tatchell was arrested at today’s national Palestine solidarity march in central London after police objected to a placard he was carrying.

Tatchell’s sign read: “Globalise the intifada: Non-violent resistance. End Israel’s occupation of Gaza & West Bank”. He was detained on the Strand and taken to Sutton Police Station.

In a statement following his arrest, Tatchell described the police action as “an attack on free speech,” arguing that officers had wrongly claimed the word “intifada” was unlawful.

“The word intifada is not a crime in law. The police are engaged in overreach by making it an arrestable offence,” he said. “This is part of a dangerous trend to increasingly restrict and criminalise peaceful protests.”

Tatchell stressed that the Arabic term intifada means uprising, rebellion or resistance and, in his view, does not necessarily imply violence nor carry antisemitic intent.

“It is against the Israeli regime and its war crimes, not against Jewish people,” he said, adding that his reference to non-violent resistance signified support for tactics such as boycotts, sanctions and divestment, echoing the international campaign against apartheid South Africa.

He argued that the phrase “Globalise the intifada” referred to building a worldwide movement opposing Israel’s occupation, and criticised police for “conflating support for Palestinian resistance to oppression with hatred and attacks on Jews”.

Tatchell also pointed to ongoing violence in the region, stating: “Palestinians have a right to resist Israeli settlers who are terrorising their villages on the West Bank”. He further claimed that “Over 400 Gazans have been killed by Israel since the current ceasefire began last October”.

The campaigner noted that several people were charged in December 2025 for expressing support for an intifada at a London rally, and said his arrest must be viewed in the context of what he called an expanding criminalisation of political expression.

Tatchell emphasised his long record of opposing antisemitism, referencing his participation in the March Against Antisemitism in November 2023 alongside the Chief Rabbi.

Today’s arrest marks what Tatchell says is the 104th time he has been arrested or detained during his 59 years of activism.

He is also currently pursuing legal action against the Metropolitan Police over a previous arrest at a Palestine march in May 2024, where he was accused of a racially and religiously aggravated offence for carrying a placard condemning both Israeli actions in Gaza and Hamas executions of Palestinian dissidents. The Met has since acknowledged that arrest was wrongful, Tatchell said, and he is awaiting a settlement.

The Metropolitan Police have not yet issued a public statement regarding Tatchell’s arrest at today’s demonstration.