Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja has been arrested for a second time over his support for Palestine Action, telling police: “I don’t recognise the offence.”
Del Naja, also known as 3D, was arrested in Liverpool yesterday (September 26) outside the venue for the Labour Party Conference after sitting with a paper sign reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
Footage shared by campaign group Defend Our Juries shows police approaching Del Naja and telling him that displaying the sign amounts to an offence because Palestine Action remains a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000.
One officer asks: “Is there anything I can do to have a conversation with you to move you out of the area, because you are committing an offence?”
Del Naja replies: “Yeah, I don’t recognise the offence, though, because under UK law it is actually an offence to aid and abet any private individual or company aiding and abetting genocidal war crimes.”
When the officer reminds him that Palestine Action is proscribed, Del Naja responds: “I don’t agree with the proscription.”
He was then arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation.
Watch footage below.
The arrest came on the eve of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first Labour Party Conference since entering Downing Street in July.
Shortly before his arrest, Del Naja appeared alongside Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori and human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC in a pre-recorded message calling on Burnham to remove the group from the government’s list of proscribed organisations.
Del Naja and Burnham previously appeared on the same platform in 2025 in support of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Burnham signed on behalf of Greater Manchester.
More recently, Del Naja and other members of Massive Attack joined Thom Yorke, Robert Smith, Brian Eno and more than 200 musicians in pressuring Burnham to reject plans for the Rosebank oil field.
Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK government in July 2025. The then-government said the group had crossed the threshold into terrorism through acts involving serious property damage, including actions targeting defence companies and RAF Brize Norton.
The ban has since been subject to extensive legal challenges. In February, the High Court ruled the proscription unlawful and disproportionate, a decision welcomed by Massive Attack.
However, the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling in June and held that the proscription was lawful. The Supreme Court subsequently granted limited permission for a further appeal, which is scheduled to be heard in November.
Massive Attack have been outspoken in support of Palestinians for decades and have boycotted performing in Israel since 1999.
Earlier this summer, the band said their entire touring party had been detained in Singapore after Del Naja and Grant Marshall displayed a Palestinian flag on stage. Two members were subsequently banned from re-entering the country.
They have also backed the No Music For Genocide campaign alongside Fontaines D.C., Amyl & The Sniffers and hundreds of other artists, and recently criticised the decision to remove Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s US tour following his pro-Palestinian remarks.
