Police arrested 139 people outside the US Embassy in London on Saturday during a demonstration supporting Palestine Action, which Britain has banned and designated a terrorist organization. The Metropolitan Police said most arrests were for expressing support for a proscribed organization, and officers were continuing to detain people at the scene.
Many participants were pensioners carrying placards opposing genocide and backing Palestine Action, according to the Associated Press. One demonstrator climbed a tree near the embassy and displayed a sign urging support for the group. Defend Our Juries, an activist organization campaigning to overturn the British government's ban, organized the gathering.
The organizers said more than 4,000 people had been arrested since July 2025 for breaching the prohibition on support for Palestine Action. They condemned the detentions, describing arrests over participation in peaceful demonstrations as a serious infringement of civil rights and freedom of expression. Supporters of the organization also argue that its designation restricts the right to political protest.
Britain outlawed Palestine Action in 2025 after members carried out a series of actions targeting defense facilities, particularly sites belonging to Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. British law provides for prison terms of up to 14 years for membership in, or support for, an organization designated as a terrorist group.
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action opposes what it describes as British military assistance to Israel. Its members say their aim is to disrupt businesses supporting Israel's defense industry. In 2024, activists from the group entered an Elbit Systems factory in Britain and damaged equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars.
In another incident in June 2025, activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in Britain. They sprayed red paint into the engines of two refueling aircraft and used crowbars to cause further damage. The United States also acted against Palestine Action, announcing sanctions in August and designating the organization a terrorist group.
A separate demonstration supporting Palestine Action took place outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, Scotland. No arrests were reported, but Police Scotland said it was reviewing evidence to identify people who had worn shirts or displayed signs supporting the banned group. The force said additional enforcement action could follow.
The London and Edinburgh protests preceded a hearing scheduled for Wednesday at the UK's Supreme Court. The proceedings concern an appeal against the authorities' decision to designate Palestine Action a terrorist organization.
