Massive Attack frontman arrested at Palestine protest

Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja has been arrested on suspicion of showing support for the proscribed organisation Palestine Action.

Del Naja, a member of the trip-hop band from Bristol, was one of more than 200 people who were arrested at a mass protest in Trafalgar Square in Central London on Saturday afternoon.

The 61-year-old sat among hundreds of fellow demonstrators with a sign that read "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action".

He was later approached by police officers who told him he was being put under arrest, before carrying him away from the demonstration as other protesters cheered and applauded.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers had so far arrested 212 people at the demonstration – all on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation. The ages of those arrested range from 27 to 82, the force said.

Supporting Palestine Action became illegal in July 2025 after the government banned it under anti-terror legislation.

The ban was ruled unlawful in February, but remained in place pending an appeal.

Following the High Court judgement on the ban, the Met had indicated its officers would be unlikely to make arrests. But in March, it said it would resume arresting protesters for supporting Palestine Action.

Prior to his arrest, Del Naja told the Press Association he wanted to attend the protest despite the consequences a potential arrest could have on his music career.

"Being a musician, obviously, there was a lot of trepidation around how we might not be able to travel and get visas," he said.

"But I thought 'this is ridiculous' and then the police making that U-turn to arrest people again, I thought that is even more ridiculous.

"So I'm going to hold a sign today.

"If I get arrested, I feel very confident that if I stand up in court with the right guidance and say 'this was an unlawful arrest and, therefore, I don't accept it'."

Massive Attack are due to begin a summer tour in Europe from May 26 until June 8, starting in Helsinki, Finland.

The English trip hop band was formed in Bristol in 1988 by Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles.

As of 2025, the group consists of only Del Naja and Marshall.

More than 2,200 people have been arrested so far for allegedly expressing support for Palestine Action since it was banned under the Terrorism Act 2000 last summer by then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The trials of hundreds of people accused of holding up the placards have been put on hold while the legal battle over whether the group should have been banned continues.

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