48 Arrested in London for Backing Banned Group Palestine Action

London’s Metropolitan Police arrested 48 people on Saturday during a demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy. The majority of those detained faced charges for supporting Palestine Action, a group that the U.K. government designated as a proscribed organization last year.

More than 100 individuals participated in the event. Many held signs with the text, "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Witnesses reported that some attendees applauded and chanted "free, free Palestine" as officers led detainees to police vans.

The legal status of the group remains contested. A Supreme Court appeal is scheduled for Nov. 4 to challenge the designation of Palestine Action as a terror group. Supporters argue the ban is overly strict and infringes on free speech rights. The U.K. government currently allows for up to 14 years in prison for membership or support of the organization.

The group’s history dates back to 2020. It was founded with the goal of halting U.K. military aid to Israel. The organization states it targets corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex to stop what it calls genocide, an accusation Israel denies.

Palestine Action has engaged in direct-action tactics in recent years. In 2024, activists entered a factory owned by Elbit Systems UK and damaged equipment using sledgehammers and crowbars. In June 2025, members broke into a Royal Air Force base. They sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and caused additional damage with tools.

The U.S. government also moved to sanction the group in August. It designated Palestine Action as a terror group in a parallel action to the U.K. ban.

A second vigil took place outside the U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh, Scotland. Demonstrators there held similar placards. Police Scotland reported no arrests at the Edinburgh site. Officers said they were reviewing evidence to identify people wearing shirts or holding banners that showed support for the banned group.