139 arrested supporting banned Palestine Action group
Metropolitan Police detained protesters outside US embassy ahead of Supreme Court appeal.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed 139 arrests were made on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by 6:15 pm. The detentions occurred outside the US embassy in Nine Elms, south-west London, where protesters gathered to support the banned group Palestine Action. Most arrests were for displaying support for the proscribed organisation.
Protest organised ahead of Supreme Court appeal
The demonstration was organised by Defend Our Juries. The group had urged attendees to display signs stating: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. The protest coincided with preparations for an appeal at the Supreme Court on November 4, challenging Palestine Action's designation as a terror group. Organisers stated that the arrests on Saturday brought the total number of individuals detained for defying the ban to over 4,000 since July 2025.
Palestine Action was proscribed in June 2025 under the Terrorism Act. This means any public display of support for the group is a criminal offence. The Metropolitan Police had issued warnings that participants faced arrest as part of a planned policing operation. Officers began making arrests shortly after 12:30 pm, with some individuals being carried if they refused to walk.
Police resources and costs
A Section 35 dispersal order was in effect in areas around the US embassy from 8 am to 11 pm on Saturday. This measure allows police to order individuals to leave the vicinity or face arrest. The force stated that Palestine Action-related protests consume significant police resources, diverting them from other areas of London. According to a freedom of information request response, the Met spent £1.3 million on six 'Palestine-Israel public order events' during June and July.
In June, the Court of Appeal upheld the ban on Palestine Action as a terror group, deeming it a justified interference with freedom of expression rights. This decision overturned a High Court ruling from February that had found the ban unlawful following a legal challenge.
Questions this report answers
01How many people were arrested at the protest?
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 139 people were arrested on Saturday, October 31, 2026, outside the US embassy in London. The majority of these arrests were for showing support for the banned group Palestine Action.
02Why was Palestine Action banned?
Palestine Action was proscribed in June 2025 under the Terrorism Act. This means that any public display of support for the group is considered a criminal offence under UK law.
03What was the cost of policing related events?
The Metropolitan Police spent £1.3 million on six public order events related to Palestine-Israel issues in June and July. This expenditure highlights the significant resources allocated to managing such demonstrations.
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