Law enforcement officers in London detained dozens of individuals on Saturday during a demonstration held outside the U.S. Embassy in support of Palestine Action, a banned pro-Palestinian group. Authorities stated that officers remained deployed at the location and were actively carrying out further arrests.
The London gathering drew more than 100 participants, many of whom displayed placards bearing the slogan, "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." As police escorted detained individuals into transport vans, remaining crowds applauded and shouted chants of "free, free Palestine."
A parallel demonstration took place in Scotland, where protesters conducted a vigil outside the U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh with placards similar to those seen in London. While Police Scotland reported no arrests at the site, officials confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify participants wearing T-shirts and displaying banners that express support for a proscribed group. Police Scotland noted that evidence is currently being reviewed and that additional action will follow as appropriate.
The demonstrations come shortly before a Nov. 4 Supreme Court appeal challenging the official legal designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Advocates of the group maintain that the government ban is draconian and infringes upon their rights to free speech. The legal challenge follows action taken in August, when the U.S. government announced sanctions against Palestine Action and designated it as a terror organization.
Established in 2020, Palestine Action states its objective is to end British military backing for Israel, accusing the Israeli government of committing genocide against Palestinians—a charge that Israel strongly denies. To achieve its goals, the group claims it aims to halt genocide by targeting and disrupting corporate entities that support the Israeli military-industrial complex.
Activists linked to the group have previously carried out high-profile direct actions. In 2024, members forced entry into a manufacturing facility operated by Israeli weapons contractor Elbit Systems UK, using crowbars and sledgehammers to destroy equipment inside. Subsequently, in June 2025, activists broke into a Royal Air Force base, where they utilized crowbars to cause damage and sprayed red paint directly into the engines of two tanker aircraft.
