London police arrested 139 people on October 31, 2026, during a mass demonstration outside the U.S. embassy opposing the proscription of Palestine Action. The arrests, conducted by the Metropolitan Police, primarily targeted individuals expressing support for the group, which the U.K. government classifies as a terrorist organization.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Battersea, south London, carrying placards that read I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action
. The Metropolitan Police had warned participants in advance that they face arrest if they expressed support for the banned group. It is reported that approximately 400 individuals were expected to participate in the demonstration, which started at 1pm on Nine Elms Lane in Wandsworth. To manage the event, a Section 35 dispersal order was implemented in parts of central London from 8am to 11pm on Saturday, allowing police to order individuals to leave the area or face arrest.
Around 400 people are sat outside the US Embassy in London right now, holding signs reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action".Head to https://t.co/ck43ZlEqh5 to get involved
While the Metropolitan Police reported that 139 people were detained on Saturday, the organizing group Defend Our Juries claims the total number of people detained for defying the Palestine Action ban has exceeded 4,000 since July 2025. According to Home Office data for the year ending June 2026, 3,630 of the 3,867 total terrorism-related arrests were linked to supporting Palestine Action, accounting for 94 per cent of the total.
Police Warn That Criminal Activity Justifies Arrests
Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, stated that the arrests were not about silencing views but were determined action in instances where expressing a view entails criminal activity
. He warned that enforcement would extend beyond those holding signs to include anyone providing logistical support or instructions for the event. Slonecki urged prospective participants to reconsider their attendance, noting that the demonstration diverted significant police resources away from communities where they are most needed.
BREAKINGEd Miliband gently questioned in the Pizza Express directly opposite where 200 people are being arrested under the UK Terrorism Act for holding pieces of paper.Refuses to come and have a conversation with arrestees.@Ed_Miliband – Deproscribe Palestine Action. pic.twitter.com/pzIVS3bloD
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.
Commander Adam Slonecki, Metropolitan Police
Under the Terrorism Act, membership in or support for Palestine Action is a crime that can carry a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Other penalties for displaying supporting items can include a fine of up to £5,000 or six months in prison, according to JNS. In particular, the Terrorism Act makes expressing support for a proscribed organisation an offence, and displaying items or wearing clothing that supports such a group could lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and/or six months in prison.
Courts Review the Ban on Palestine Action
The demonstrations took place days before a scheduled Supreme Court appeal on November 4 challenging the group’s designation as a terror organization. The proscription places Palestine Action on a blacklist alongside groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).
ARRESTED WITH SARAH HELM'S WORDSA woman has just been arrested outside the US Embassy in London for holding a sign with words mirroring the ones that the National Security Advisor's wife tweeted, and for which @metpoliceuk declared "did not meet the criminal threshold". pic.twitter.com/VsIZWK5p25
- February 13, 2026: The High Court ruled that the decision to ban Palestine Action was unlawful.
- June 2026: The Court of Appeal overturned that ruling, describing the ban as a justified and proportionate interference on freedom of expression.
A Home Office spokesperson defended the proscription, stating the Court of Appeal found that Palestine Action promoted violence and celebrated acts of terrorism. The government maintains that the ban does not restrict lawful protests in support of Palestinians. The Court of Appeal’s June 2026 decision upheld the original proscription from June 2025.
Police Scotland Identify Supporters at Edinburgh Vigil
Simultaneous protests occurred outside the U.S. consulate in Edinburgh, where demonstrators held a peaceful vigil. While no immediate arrests were made at the scene, Police Scotland confirmed that inquiries are ongoing to identify individuals wearing T-shirts or holding banners that show support for the proscribed organization.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries Scotland described the ban as absurd
. Police Scotland stated that Evidence is being reviewed and further action will be taken as appropriate
.
Palestine Action’s Direct-Action History
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action targets companies it identifies as corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex
, specifically focusing on Elbit Systems. The group aims to stop U.K. military support for Israel, which it claims is committing genocide against Palestinians—an accusation Israel strongly denies.
- 2024: Activists broke into an Elbit Systems UK factory, using crowbars and sledgehammers to smash equipment.
- June 2025: Protesters entered a Royal Air Force base and sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes.
These actions led the U.S. government to announce its own sanctions against the group in August, designating Palestine Action as a terror group. Defend Our Juries stated that U.S. President Donald Trump pushed the U.K. government to proscribe Palestine Action in early 2025.
Politicians Condemn Arrests as Attacks on Speech
Labour MP John McDonnell argued on X that protesting a government decision to proscribe a group should not be automatically interpreted
as supporting that organization. He further stated that the government made the wrong decision in proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation
.
The Met Police say 139 people have been arrested at a Palestine Action rally outside the US embassy in London.Police had warned people attending protests in support of the proscribed group that they could be arrested if they did not hold up placards in support of the banned… pic.twitter.com/IpWHRYqRrw
Jakens called the detention of people for holding placards a disgraceful attack on freedom of speech
. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries claimed the Metropolitan Police’s response was an attempt to appease American interests.
Among those detained in London was 79-year-old retiree Sue Morhall, who expressed that world leaders, including Donald Trump, need to know the depth of opposition to events in Gaza.
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