London police arrest 139 at protest against Palestine Action ban

London police arrested 139 people on Saturday outside the U.S. Embassy during a protest against the United Kingdom’s ban on Palestine Action, days before the group’s designation as a terrorist organization is due to face a Supreme Court appeal.

Hundreds gathered at the embassy, according to Al Jazeera, after police warned people not to attend the rally. The Metropolitan Police initially reported 48 arrests, then raised the total to 139 on Saturday evening. “The majority of arrests have been for expressing support for a proscribed organisation,” the force said.

Many demonstrators carried signs reading, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Some applauded and chanted “free, free Palestine” as police led people to vans, CBS News reported.

A separate vigil took place outside the U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh, where demonstrators held similar placards. No arrests were reported there. Police Scotland said it was reviewing evidence to identify people seen wearing T-shirts or holding banners showing support for a proscribed organization. “Further action will be taken as appropriate,” the force said.

The Supreme Court appeal challenging Palestine Action’s proscription is scheduled for Nov. 4. The U.K. government outlawed the direct-action group last year, making membership in or support for it a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Supporters say the ban violates freedom of speech. The United States announced sanctions against Palestine Action in August and designated it a terror group, CBS News reported.

Labour Party lawmaker John McDonnell questioned the basis for the arrests. In a post on X, he said protesting the government’s decision to ban an organization cannot “automatically” be interpreted as support for it and therefore an arrestable offense. He also said the government was wrong to proscribe Palestine Action.

Defend Our Juries, which organized Saturday’s protests, said the arrests brought the number of people detained for defying the ban to more than 4,000 since July 2025, according to Al Jazeera. A spokesperson for the group called the arrests at peaceful vigils “truly dystopian” and said the ban was about appeasing the United States and Israeli weapons companies, not addressing a terrorist threat.

Felix Jakens of Amnesty International UK also called for the ban to be lifted, describing the arrests of people holding placards as “a disgraceful attack on freedom of speech.”

Founded in 2020, Palestine Action says it seeks to stop U.K. military support for Israel and disrupt companies it describes as enablers of the Israeli military. It accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians, an accusation Israel strongly denies. Its activists broke into an Elbit Systems UK factory in 2024 and smashed equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars. In June 2025, activists broke into a Royal Air Force base, sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and caused further damage with crowbars, CBS News reported.