UK police arrest 325 at London Palestine Action protest

LONDON — British police arrested 325 people at a protest in support of Palestine Action outside the US Embassy in London on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said in a Sunday update. The arrests came ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on the group's proscription.

The Metropolitan Police said 320 of those arrested were held for expressing support for a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act. The force did not give a breakdown for the remaining five in the update reported by the sources.

Protesters staged a "mass action" outside the US Embassy at lunchtime. Police began detaining people shortly after the protest started, according to The New Arab. Some protesters held placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."

A smaller number of people rallied outside the US consulate in Edinburgh on Saturday. No arrests were made there at the time, Police Scotland said in a statement shared with AFP on Sunday. Police Scotland said enquiries were ongoing to identify people seen wearing t-shirts and holding banners showing support for the group, and that further action would be taken as appropriate.

The figure of 325 differs from a figure of 139 that appeared in social media posts on Telegram from Palestine Chronicle and Quds News Network. Those posts, which are unverified, gave 139 as the number arrested. The Metropolitan Police update, as reported by The New Arab, gave 325. The source material does not explain the difference.

Defend Our Juries, the protest organisers, said in a statement that it was "truly dystopian" that there had been more than 4,000 arrests under terror laws for peaceful vigils. Campaigners and police tallies, as cited by The New Arab, put the total number of arrests linked to the ban at more than 4,000.

Why it matters

Under the Terrorism Act, membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. According to The New Arab, the arrests include many senior citizens and Holocaust survivors who have displayed signs at rallies.

Background

The UK government proscribed Palestine Action in July 2025 under anti-terror legislation. The United States also designated the group as "terrorist" in August, according to The New Arab. The British designation places the group on a list that also includes the Palestinian group Hamas.

Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action, has challenged the ban in court. She argues that it is "disproportionate" and infringes human rights. The Court of Appeal ruled in the government's favour, according to The New Arab. In July, hearings related to more than 2,000 cases were postponed until later this year.

What happens next

The Supreme Court is due to hold a two-day hearing from Wednesday on the government's ban. A Quds News Network post said the appeal was scheduled for 4 November. That date is not confirmed by a news outlet or official statement in the source material.

Police Scotland said enquiries into the Edinburgh rally are ongoing.