48 detained in London for holding Palestine Action support signs

Dozens of people were arrested in London on Saturday for publicly supporting Palestine Action, a group recently outlawed by the UK government. According to the Independent ^[2], the Metropolitan Police confirmed that 48 individuals had been detained following a protest outside the US Embassy. The majority of these arrests stemmed from attendees expressing support for the organisation, which ministers designated as a terrorist group last year.

The gathering drew more than 100 participants, many of whom held placards declaring, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Sky News ^[1] reported that dozens were taken into custody simply for voicing this support, a stance that now carries a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years. As police loaded detainees into vans, remaining demonstrators were heard chanting “free, free Palestine” and applauding those being led away.

This display of defiance comes just days before a crucial hearing at the Supreme Court. On November 4, judges will consider an appeal against Palestine Action’s designation as a terror group. The controversy has heightened tensions, with the US government also imposing sanctions on the organisation in August, labelling it a terror group.

Palestine Action, founded in 2020, aims to halt UK military support for Israel. The group accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, a charge Israel strongly denies. Their methods involve disrupting what they term “corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex.”

The group’s activism has drawn significant attention. In 2024, activists infiltrated a factory owned by Elbit Systems UK, smashing equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars. More recently, in June 2025, members broke into a Royal Air Force base, spraying red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and causing further damage.

While London saw numerous arrests, the mood in Edinburgh was markedly different. A vigil held outside the US Consulate in Scotland saw participants holding similar placards, but no arrests were reported there. The contrast highlights the varying enforcement and reception of the ban across the UK.

With the Supreme Court appeal imminent, the outcome could reshape the legal landscape for protest rights in Britain. For now, the 48 detained in London remain at the centre of a national debate on free speech and security.