London police arrest 139 at protest against Palestine Action ban
Met Police arrested 139 at a US embassy rally against Palestine Action's proscription, ahead of a Supreme Court appeal on the ban on 4 November.
The story in focus
London's Metropolitan Police arrested 139 people at a protest outside the US embassy against the UK proscription of Palestine Action. The Met said most arrests were for expressing support for a proscribed organisation. Campaigners also rallied in Edinburgh. A Supreme Court appeal against the designation is due on 4 November.
- Met Police said 139 people were arrested, up from 48 reported earlier in the day
- Police said most arrests were for expressing support for a proscribed organisation
- Defend Our Juries, which organised the protests, put the crowd at around 400
- A Supreme Court appeal against the proscription is listed for 4 November
- Defend Our Juries says more than 4,000 arrests have been made under the ban since July 2025
Arrests at the embassy
Hundreds gathered outside the US embassy in Battersea, south London, on Saturday to oppose the ban on Palestine Action, which is classified as a terrorist organisation under UK law. In a post on X, the Metropolitan Police said 139 people had been arrested, up from the 48 it reported earlier, adding that officers remained on scene and were continuing to make arrests. The force said most arrests were for expressing support for a proscribed organisation.
Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, said those attending knew that supporting a proscribed organisation is unlawful. Before the rally, the Met warned that organisers, people giving instructions and those providing logistical support would probably be committing an offence. Defend Our Juries, which organised the demonstration, estimated that around 400 people took part.
Edinburgh vigil and legal challenge
Protesters also gathered outside the US consulate in Edinburgh. No arrests were reported there. Demonstrators at both sites held placards expressing opposition to genocide and support for Palestine Action.
The protests came days before a Supreme Court appeal on Wednesday, 4 November, challenging the group's proscription. Defend Our Juries said Saturday's arrests brought the total detained for defying the ban to more than 4,000 since July 2025. The group also said more than 160 people were arrested or reported for summons at a similar demonstration outside the Labour party conference in Liverpool last month.
Political reaction
Labour MP John McDonnell said on X that protesting a proscription decision cannot be automatically interpreted as supporting the organisation and therefore committing an arrestable offence. He said he believed the government made the wrong decision in proscribing the group. Amnesty International UK called for the ban to be reversed. The government has faced pressure to rescind the proscription, though Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has backed it.
When is the Supreme Court appeal against Palestine Action's proscription due to be heard?
The appeal is listed for Wednesday, 4 November, according to both reports. It challenges the group's designation as a terrorist organisation, which took effect in July 2025.
Sources & further reading
- London police arrest 139 as hundreds protest Palestine Action ban ↗Al Jazeera
- Almost 140 arrested at protest against Palestine Action ban outside US embassy in London ↗The Guardian
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