London Police Arrest 139 Protesters Opposing Palestine Action Ban

London’s Metropolitan Police arrested 139 people on Saturday after demonstrators ignored a warning against attending a rally to oppose the ban on Palestine Action. The group is classified as a terrorist organization under United Kingdom law. Officers cited the offense of expressing support for a proscribed organization as the primary reason for the detentions. The protest occurred outside the United States embassy in London.

The proscription of Palestine Action took effect in July 2025 under the government of then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The designation added the campaign group to the same list as al-Qaeda and ISIL. Critics argue the move is part of a wider crackdown intended to silence pro-Palestine voices in Britain. The current administration, led by Prime Minister Andy Burnham who assumed office in July, has yet to reverse the decision.

A Supreme Court appeal challenging the proscription is scheduled for Wednesday. This hearing will determine the legal future of the ban. Saturday’s demonstration marks the first mass protest against the proscription since Burnham took office. Protesters held placards reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Similar gatherings took place outside the US consulate in Edinburgh. No arrests were reported in the Scottish capital. Defend Our Juries, the organization that coordinated the events, stated that Saturday’s actions brought the total number of people detained for defying the ban to more than 4,000 since July 2025. The group characterized the milestone as occurring on Halloween.

Labour Party MP John McDonnell responded to the police statement on social media. He argued that protesting a government decision cannot be automatically interpreted as supporting the target organization. McDonnell stated he believes the government made the wrong decision in proscribing Palestine Action. He emphasized that such a protest should not constitute an arrestable offense.

Felix Jakens, head of communications and campaigns for Amnesty International UK, called on the government to reverse the proscription. Jakens described the arrest of grandparents and teenagers for holding placards as an attack on freedom of speech. He urged lawmakers to reform laws to give communities more power to demonstrate. A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said the ban reflects efforts to appease US President Donald Trump and Israeli weapons companies disrupted by the group.

The Metropolitan Police initially reported 48 detentions earlier in the day. By Saturday evening, the final count reached 139. The police stated that the majority of those arrested were charged with supporting a proscribed organization. The next legal step in the dispute is the Supreme Court appeal set for this Wednesday.