British police arrested 325 people during a demonstration outside the US Embassy in London held in support of Palestine Action, with the vast majority detained on suspicion of expressing support for the banned pro-Palestinian group. The protest took place just days before the UK Supreme Court is due to hear a key appeal challenging the group's proscription.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in Nine Elms, southwest London, in response to the government's ban on Palestine Action.

The demonstration, organised by the Defend Our Juries campaign, saw protesters carrying banners and placards expressing solidarity with Palestine and opposition to the group's designation as a banned organisation.

According to the Metropolitan Police, an initial announcement reported 139 arrests, but the figure later rose to 325.

Police said 320 of those arrested were detained under terrorism legislation on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation, while the reasons for the detention of the remaining five individuals were not immediately disclosed.

Many demonstrators carried placards reading, "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Officers were seen removing protesters one by one, with some being carried to police vehicles after refusing to leave the protest site.

A parallel demonstration was also held outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, where Police Scotland confirmed that no arrests were made.

More than 4,200 arrests since the ban

Defend Our Juries said the latest operation brought the total number of people arrested in connection with support for Palestine Action since July 2025 to more than 4,200.

The campaign group also stated that approximately 2,500 people have been charged under terrorism legislation during the same period. Many of those cases have reportedly been postponed pending the outcome of legal proceedings concerning the lawfulness of the ban.

Supreme Court to hear appeal

Palestine Action is known for direct-action campaigns targeting companies linked to the Israeli occupation regime.

The group came under increased government scrutiny after activists entered RAF Brize Norton in June 2025, spraying red paint on military aircraft and placing Palestinian flags on the planes in protest against Britain's military ties with the occupation regime.

Former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper subsequently initiated the process to ban the organisation, and the prohibition came into force on 5 July 2025.

The group's co-founder, Huda Ammori, launched legal proceedings seeking to overturn the ban. While an initial court ruled in favour of the challenge, that decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which upheld the government's designation of the group as a prohibited organisation.

The UK Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the appeal on 4 and 5 November, when judges will examine whether the government's decision to outlaw Palestine Action was lawful.

The outcome of the hearing is expected to have significant implications for future legal challenges concerning the government's use of terrorism legislation against protest movements.(ILKHA)