Hundreds defy Palestine Action ban as 139 arrested for supporting terrorist organisation

Police have arrested almost 140 supporters of the proscribed terror group Palestine Action outside the US Embassy in London today. Police detained most of the 139 protesters for "expressing support for a proscribed organisation", as more than a hundred gathered outside the building in Nine Elms. After its proscription in June 2025, expressing support for Palestine Action is an offence under the Terrorism Act. Police began making arrests soon after the rally kicked off at 1pm this afternoon. More than a hundred demonstrators from Defend Our Juries were protesting outside the US mission, with some holding placards reading: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. Met Commander Adam Slonecki warned that anyone supporting those holding placards could also expect to be arrested at the demonstration. “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,” he said ahead of the rally. The Metropolitan Police imposed a Section 35 dispersal order across parts of London, including the embassy grounds, between 8am and 11pm on Saturday. Scotland Yard said it introduced the order after receiving intelligence that a group planned to attend an event and show support for a proscribed organisation. The powers allow police to direct people to leave the designated area, and those who fail to comply could face arrest. Lambeth Council’s Green Party leader, Martin Abrams, took to social media to share his “concern” over the arrests. “As Leader of Lambeth Council, I am deeply concerned to see local police resources deployed and used in operations like this. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: “Lambeth Met Police is already facing serious resourcing issues for vital community policing. “The proscription of #PalestineAction and the resulting police resources needed to arrest peaceful protestors simply does not make our communities safe,” he wrote on X. Meanwhile, another protest supporting Palestine Action was held outside the US consulate in Edinburgh. Defend Our Juries protests had been organised outside the US missions because they believe the prohibition of Palestine Action was done to appease Washington. They said the demonstrations would “highlight the 'Trumpian' nature of this unprecedented attack on free expression in our country”. “We will also expose what the ban on Palestine Action has always been about: appeasing Trump after Palestine Action spray-painted his golf course and appeasing the Israeli weapons companies which Palestine Action disrupted,” the group claimed. The US government announced sanctions against Palestine Action, designating it a terrorist group, in August. Follow related topics: