Met Police Arrest Pro-Palestine Action Supporters Outside US Embassy
Demonstrators gathered to show support for the banned group, leading to arrests under the UK's Terrorism Act.
Metropolitan Police officers have made arrests outside the U.S. Embassy in London from demonstrators supporting the pro-Palestine Action group. The arrests occurred on Saturday after hundreds of supporters gathered as part of a protest organized by Defend Our Juries.
Protesters held signs with the message "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Expressing support for Palestine Action is an offense in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act, following its proscription as a terror group in June 2025. Officers moved in quickly to detain individuals displaying their support.
Defend Our Juries stated that the demonstration was timed to precede an upcoming Supreme Court hearing concerning the ban on Palestine Action. The group criticized the U.S. for its involvement in the conflict, noting that the U.S. government imposed sanctions and designated Palestine Action as a terror group in August.
Met Commander Adam Slonecki emphasized that supporting a proscribed organization is unlawful. "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," Slonecki said. He added that police would proactively intervene and that arrests would not be limited to those holding placards, but would also include individuals deemed to be playing a key organizing or logistical role.
Scotland Yard has previously stated that Palestine Action-related protests divert significant police resources from other essential community needs. In June and July, the Met reported spending £1.3 million on six public order events related to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
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Defend Our Juries criticized the Met's actions as a "significant escalation" and pointed to perceived "double standards" in the enforcement of the ban. A spokesperson for the group questioned the justification for arresting individuals providing logistical support to protesters, some of whom are elderly or disabled.
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In June, the Court of Appeal upheld the ban on Palestine Action, deeming it a "justified and proportionate" restriction on freedom of expression. This decision overturned a February High Court ruling that had initially found the ban unlawful. The legal challenge had been brought by the group's co-founder, Huda Ammori.
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