Met Police arrest 139 at London rally opposing Palestine Action ban

London's Metropolitan Police arrested 139 people on Saturday after hundreds of protesters gathered to oppose the ban on Palestine Action. The group is classified as a terrorist organization under United Kingdom law. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the final tally on its X account in the evening, noting that the number had risen from 48 earlier in the day. The force stated that most arrests were made for expressing support for a proscribed organization.

The demonstration took place outside the United States embassy in London. Protesters also gathered outside the US consulate in Edinburgh, though no arrests were reported there. Many demonstrators held placards with the message: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." The rally marks the first large-scale protest against the proscription since Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office in July.

Palestine Action was designated a terrorist organization in July of last year under the government of then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The proscription places the group on the same list as al-Qaeda and ISIL. Critics argue the move is part of a wider crackdown intended to silence pro-Palestine voices. The ban has triggered significant debate across British society regarding the scope of terror laws and free expression.

John McDonnell, a Labour Party MP, responded to the police statement on X. He argued that protesting against a government decision to proscribe an organization should not be "automatically interpreted" as supporting that group. McDonnell stated he believes the government "made the wrong decision in proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organization." His comments highlight the political friction surrounding the enforcement of the ban.

Felix Jakens, head of communications and campaigns for Amnesty International UK, called on the government to reverse the proscription. Jakens described the sight of grandparents and teenagers being placed in police vans for peacefully holding placards as a "disgraceful attack on freedom of speech." He urged the government to reform laws to allow communities more power to demonstrate on issues they care about.

Defend Our Juries, which organized the protests, said the Saturday arrests pushed the total number of people detained for defying the ban past 4,000 since July 2025. A spokesperson for the group called the milestone "truly dystopian," noting that the arrests occurred on Halloween outside the US embassy. The spokesperson claimed the ban was about "appeasing Trump and the Israeli weapons companies that Palestine Action disrupted, not about any kind of terrorist threat."

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal on Wednesday challenging the campaign group's proscription. The outcome of that hearing will determine whether the ban remains in effect or is overturned.