British police arrested 66 people outside the Labour Party conference in central Liverpool on Sunday evening, suspecting them of supporting the organization “Palestine Action,” currently classified as an illegal terrorist organization.

The British news agency (PA Media) quoted police saying that 64 of the detainees were held on suspicion of engaging in terrorist activities.

All detainees were later released on bail, aged between 21 and 83. Police stated the arrests were due to “some attendees displaying materials supporting Palestine Action.”

These arrests come amid escalating government measures, with The Guardian reporting earlier this week that over 1,600 people have been arrested and 138 charged for allegedly supporting the group since the ban took effect on July 5.

The ban criminalizes joining or advocating support for the group under terrorism laws, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. This is the first time a protest group with direct action has been classified as a terrorist organization in the UK.

The protest aimed to highlight the Labour Party’s alleged complicity, with a spokesperson for the organization “Defend Our Jurors” stating: “We came to remind everyone that the Labour Party is failing its duty to act to prevent genocide under international law; instead, it cowardly decided to ban the direct action group that was trying to stop genocide.”

The spokesperson noted that party officials halted all discussions on these issues during their conference, despite strong opposition from party members and trade unions to their leadership’s complicity.

One protester, Keith Hackett (71 years old and former Labour Party council member), expressed shame over the party’s behavior, saying: “I face the risk of arrest under terrorism laws because I am deeply ashamed of the Labour Party’s conduct.”

The party was called upon to “stop their complicity in this genocide and end the ban on the Palestine movement” to regain lost support.