London police arrested at least 48 people Saturday at a demonstration supporting Palestine Action, a group the UK outlawed as terrorist in 2025 and the US designated terrorist in August.
The Metropolitan Police gave conflicting figures for arrests outside the US Embassy. On Sunday, police said 325 people had been arrested, including 320 on suspicion of backing a group banned under the Terrorism Act. In other statements, police put the number arrested at the same protest at 48, while a separate police report cited 139. Officers remained at the scene and were still making arrests.
Arrest figures reported by police
Metropolitan Police report
Sunday statement
- 325 people arrested
- 320 for supporting proscribed organisation
Conflicting police figures
Other reports
- 48 people arrested
- 139 people arrested
The demonstration came four days before the Supreme Court begins a hearing on the UK government's decision to outlaw Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation. An appeal against the group's terror designation is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Under UK law, membership in or support for Palestine Action is a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Expressing support for the banned group is an offence following its proscription. The Terrorism Act 2000 makes belonging to a proscribed group a criminal offence; displaying objects or garments in support of one can bring a fine of up to £5,000 or a six-month prison term.
The US designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation in August and announced sanctions against it.
Defend Our Juries said that before Saturday's protest, 3,919 people had been arrested since the ban came into effect in July 2025. Campaigners and police tallies put the overall number of arrests for showing support for Palestine Action at more than 4,000, including many senior citizens and Holocaust survivors.
A 94-year-old defies the ban
A 94-year-old former human rights lawyer, Margaret Owen was arrested again under the Terrorism Act for supporting Palestine Action. On 27 September, police arrested Owen during a demonstration outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. She said officers took her to a police station, where they fingerprinted her and imposed bail conditions requiring her to report to a police station on 27 December.
Who took part and why
More than 100 people took part in the London demonstration, with many holding signs reading: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Some protesters could be heard applauding and chanting "free, free Palestine" when people were taken away to police vans.
The US Embassy was the target of Saturday's demonstration, which Defend Our Juries organised as part of its campaign to reverse the British government's ban on Palestine Action. Organisers said they chose it because US President Donald Trump had urged the UK government to proscribe Palestine Action in early 2025.
All those intending on coming to this event know that supporting a proscribed organisation is unlawful—they are essentially meeting to purposefully commit a crime.
Police would detain people beyond those holding placards, Slonecki stressed. Those officers believe are central to arranging the event, directing others or supplying logistical help would very likely be committing an offence and face enforcement action.
Palestine Action's history and methods
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action opposes British military support for Israel, which it says is provided by the UK. In 2024, activists from the group entered a UK factory run by Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems and damaged equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars.
In June 2025, activists entered a British Royal Air Force base, spraying red paint into the engines of two refuelling aircraft and using crowbars to cause further damage. The UK government banned Palestine Action in 2025 after members carried out a series of operations against defence facilities, especially sites linked to Israeli defence company Elbit Systems.
Palestine Action said it damaged aircraft at the Royal Air Force base, arguing they supported what it called Israel's "genocide" in the Gaza Strip. The UK government denied the aircraft had taken part in operations in Gaza and said Shadow R1 reconnaissance planes flew from Cyprus to help search for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Parallel action in Scotland
On Saturday, a smaller group of protesters rallied outside the US consulate in Edinburgh; none had been arrested there by that point. Police Scotland said it was examining evidence and seeking to identify people shown in photographs wearing t-shirts and carrying banners in support of a proscribed organisation. Further action would be taken as appropriate.
Defend Our Juries wrote in a press release on Saturday that it expects hundreds more arrests under the Terrorism Act to follow.
