Dozens Arrested at London U.S. Embassy Over Support for Banned Group
London police arrested 48 people at a U.S. Embassy protest for supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action.
POLICY WIRE — London, UK — Law enforcement in London detained dozens of individuals during a demonstration on Saturday outside the U.S. Embassy, where protesters were showing support for the banned group Palestine Action.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 48 people were taken into custody, noting that the bulk of these arrests stemmed from individuals voicing allegiance to a proscribed organization.
Authorities stated that police officers are still present at the location and expect to make further arrests.
The gathering drew more than 100 participants, many of whom displayed placards declaring their opposition to genocide and their solidarity with Palestine Action.
As police transported individuals to transport vehicles, some in the crowd were heard chanting and applauding for a free Palestine.
The UK government designated the direct-action protest group as a terrorist entity last year. Under current law, supporting or belonging to Palestine Action is a criminal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
A similar vigil occurred in Scotland at the U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh, where demonstrators held matching signs but no arrests were made.
Police Scotland is currently investigating individuals observed wearing T-shirts or carrying banners that supported the banned group.
The agency noted that they are reviewing available evidence and will take further legal action as deemed necessary.
These protests occur ahead of a Supreme Court appeal scheduled for Nov. 4, which challenges the group’s status as a terror organization. Critics of the ban argue the measure is an overreach that infringes upon free speech.
Earlier in August, the United States government imposed sanctions on Palestine Action, also labeling it as a terror group.
Established in 2020, Palestine Action seeks to halt British military assistance to Israel, which the group accuses of committing genocide against Palestinians—a claim Israel vehemently rejects.
The organization asserts its mission is to disrupt what it describes as corporate entities enabling the Israeli military-industrial complex to prevent genocide.
In 2024, members entered an Elbit Systems UK factory where they used crowbars and sledgehammers to destroy machinery. In June 2025, activists breached a Royal Air Force base, where they damaged two tanker planes with crowbars and poured red paint into their engines.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
