Police have begun arresting supporters of Palestine Action at a rally outside the US Embassy in Nine Elms, London, after campaign group Defend Our Juries staged a mass show of support for the proscribed group on Saturday afternoon.
The demonstration, which began at 1pm, saw protesters gather holding signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. Images from the scene showed officers making arrests, though the Metropolitan Police had not immediately issued a statement on the number of people arrested.
The rally had been trailed for days. Organisers said they expected around 400 people to take part, and the Met had warned in advance that anyone attending in support of the group faced arrest. As reported yesterday, Commander Adam Slonecki, who is leading the policing operation, said it was not only those holding placards who should expect to be arrested: anyone officers considered to be playing a key role in organising the event, giving instructions to others or providing logistical support would very likely be committing an offence and face enforcement action.
Why the protest matters
Palestine Action was proscribed under the Terrorism Act in June 2025, making it an offence to express support for the group. That decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal in June 2026. A Supreme Court hearing on the proscription is due to take place on 4 and 5 November.
Defend Our Juries, which organised Saturday’s action, says more than 3,850 people have been arrested in the UK since July 2025 over protests against the ban. The group says it targeted US government buildings because it claims the ban was handed out to appease the United States; the US government imposed sanctions on Palestine Action in August, designating it a terrorist organisation.
A parallel demonstration was planned outside the US consulate in Edinburgh.
The Met has said its operation is not aimed at banning the expression of views, but at cases where expressing a position involves committing an offence. Defend Our Juries says the mass action is intended to highlight what it describes as the free-expression issues at stake in the Supreme Court hearing.
More than 100 people had gathered outside the embassy by mid-afternoon, according to Guardian reporting of the protest.
Updated: 31 October at 15:20 — This is a developing story. The number of arrests and any Metropolitan Police statement will be added as they become available.
