"Detention is a small price to pay for the fight for justice"

Robert Del Naja, a member of the British band Massive Attack, has spoken out after being arrested during a protest against the banning of the Palestine Action organization, sharply criticizing the authorities and calling them "draconian", British media report.

Del Naja was among hundreds of demonstrators who gathered in Trafalgar Square to protest the banning of the group. During the protest, he held a banner with a message against genocide and in support of the organization Palestine Action, after which he was detained by police on suspicion of showing support for the banned organization.

In a lengthy post on social media, the musician stated that he had felt a sense of "collective madness" during the conflict in Gaza, wondering how it was possible that the international community, including the British government, allowed such events to occur.

He particularly criticized the media in the UK, including the BBC, claiming that they had not clearly named those responsible for the violence.

“During the Israeli genocide in Gaza, most people, including me, felt as if we were slowly going mad. How is it possible that the world, including the British government, is allowing this to happen? This sense of madness was further reinforced by the inexplicable policies of many British media outlets (including the BBC) in refusing to name the perpetrators of one atrocity after another. It was Israel, and everyone knew it was Israel. Why wouldn’t they say so?” the musician asked.

"In the UK in 2026, you could be arrested under terrorism laws just for sitting quietly and holding a cardboard sign against genocide," Del Naja said, adding that such a situation was "completely absurd."

He also emphasized that he does not consider the activities of Palestine Action activists, including the damage to military equipment, to be terrorism, but rather an expression of desperation.

Earlier this year, members of the band Massive Attack reacted to a court ruling that declared the ban on Palestine Action unlawful, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government of trying to punish citizens who point out what they said was complicity in violence.

In his latest statement, Del Naja said that "a few hours in custody is a small price to pay" for the fight for justice, emphasizing that democracy and civil rights are built precisely on similar acts of civil resistance.

He concluded his address with a message of support for Palestine and a call for peace, emphasizing that citizens have the right to demand that their government respect international law.

Massive Attack have previously publicly supported the Palestinian side, and have joined numerous musicians in campaigns against war and violence, including initiatives calling for a boycott of certain music platforms and industry actors.