139 Arrested at Palestine Action Protest Outside US Embassy Days Before Supreme Court Hearing

A Palestine Action protest outside the US Embassy in London ended on Saturday with 139 people arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police, in one of the largest single-day arrest tallies reported at a demonstration linked to the proscribed group. The Met said officers were still on scene and still making arrests when it published that figure on X.

What happened at the embassy in Nine Elms

The demonstration, organised by the campaign group Defend Our Juries, was held in Nine Elms, south-west London. Reporters on the scene said officers began arresting people one by one shortly after 12.30pm. Some were carried to police vans on Ponton Road when they refused to walk. Others sat or lay in front of a police bus. Onlookers applauded and chanted “free, free Palestine” as people were led away, before those detained were transferred to police stations.

Protesters held placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. Expressing support for the group is an offence under the Terrorism Act following its proscription in June 2025. The people arrested have been detained on suspicion only. The sources do not report any charges.

The Met had warned in advance that attendance would lead to arrests. Commander Adam Slonecki said: “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.” He added that anyone giving logistical support to those holding placards could also expect to be arrested. A Section 35 dispersal order covered parts of London, including the embassy grounds, from 8am to 11pm. It allows people to be ordered to leave the area or face arrest.

Why this Palestine Action protest matters now

Saturday’s protest came days before the Supreme Court hears an appeal on November 4 against the group’s designation. The legal history is contested. In February, three High Court judges ruled that the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to ban the group was unlawful, after a challenge by its co-founder, Huda Ammori. In June, five Court of Appeal judges overturned that ruling. They described the ban as a “justified and proportionate” interference with freedom of expression.

Defend Our Juries says more than 4,000 people have been detained since July 2025 for taking part in peaceful vigils backing the group, according to the Independent. The Met has spent £1.3 million on six “Palestine-Israel public order events” in June and July, according to a freedom of information response reported by the Express.

The group chose the US Embassy as its venue, saying the US had “not shied away” from involvement in the Palestine conflict. The US government announced sanctions against Palestine Action in August. A similar demonstration took place outside the US consulate in Edinburgh. Police Scotland said it had opened inquiries to review evidence and identify people wearing clothing or holding banners in support of the group.

Voices from the crowd

Crowd estimates varied. The Standard reported that about 400 people were expected, while the Express said more than 100 took part. If the 400 figure held, the Met’s tally would mean more than a quarter of attendees were arrested.

Charles Allison, a 75-year-old retired lawyer who travelled almost 300 miles from Cumbria, told the Press Association he feared for “our civil liberties”. He said he hoped the Supreme Court justices would take “a long-term view”. Police led him away shortly before 1pm.

Lauren Wallace, 36, brought her four-year-old daughter to watch her own mother hold a sign. She said she wanted to show the child “the power of protest”. Sue Morhall, 79, said she was hopeful, though “pigs might fly”, that Prime Minister Andy Burnham might rescind the proscription. She suggested he might wait until after the US midterm elections.

One man climbed a tree outside the embassy waving a placard in support of the group. He had not been arrested as of 5.30pm, according to The Standard.

With the Supreme Court hearing days away, the legal status of the ban is set for its highest test yet. Police and organisers both expect further demonstrations.

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