British police arrested 325 people on Saturday after hundreds gathered outside the US Embassy in London to protest the government's ban on Palestine Action. Demonstrators held placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, while a similar vigil took place outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh.
The Metropolitan Police had warned ahead of the demonstration that anyone expressing support for the proscribed organisation could face arrest. Police Commander Adam Slonecki said those attending were “essentially meeting to purposefully commit a crime”, and warned that people involved in organising the protest or providing logistical support could also be arrested.
The demonstration was organised by Defend Our Juries, which said around 400 people attended. The group stated that more than 4,000 people have now been arrested for opposing the Palestine Action ban since it came into effect in July 2025.
Among those arrested were pensioners and religious figures, including 79-year-old Sue Morhall and Reverend Bill White, who said he was participating because he believed it was wrong to criminalise people trying to prevent genocide in Gaza.
Amnesty International UK condemned the arrests, saying that “grandparents, teenagers and everyone in between” were being taken away for peacefully holding placards. Amnesty called on the government to lift the proscription of Palestine Action and reform laws restricting the right to protest.
The arrests came just days before the UK Supreme Court is due to hear an appeal against the group's proscription on 4 November. The ban, introduced in July 2025, makes membership of or expressing support for Palestine Action a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act. The group has targeted companies it accuses of supplying weapons to Israel, including through actions against arms manufacturer Elbit Systems.
