London police arrest 139 at protest against Palestine Action ban
publishers 42articles 46first reported 18 Oct, 07:45 UTCdeveloping since 18 Oct · 15 editions
London’s Metropolitan Police arrested 139 people on Saturday as hundreds demonstrated outside the US Embassy against the United Kingdom’s ban on Palestine Action.
Police said most of the arrests were for expressing support for a proscribed organisation. Before the rally, the force warned that attendees, organisers and people providing logistical support could face arrest under the Terrorism Act. Palestine Action was proscribed in 2025, making expressions of support for the group a criminal offence.
Demonstrators gathered in Battersea, south London, carrying placards that read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” Defend Our Juries, which organised the event, estimated that about 400 people attended. A related vigil was held outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, where no arrests were reported.
The London protest took place days before a Supreme Court appeal challenging Palestine Action’s proscription. Labour MP John McDonnell disputed the police’s interpretation, arguing that opposition to the ban should not automatically be treated as support for the organisation.
Defend Our Juries said more than 4,000 people have been arrested for defying the ban since it took effect in July 2025. The Metropolitan Police had initially reported 48 arrests before raising the total to 139 later Saturday.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 324 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
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- This version written
- 324 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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