Police arrest Palestine Action supporters at London protest ahead of court hearing
The Metropolitan Police began arresting demonstrators outside the US Embassy in London after they displayed signs supporting Palestine Action, a group proscribed under UK law in June 2025. The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, came ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on the ban and has renewed debate over how the law affects protest and freedom of expression.
The organisers expected about 400 people to attend, and the Met warned that both sign-holders and people playing a key organising or logistical role could face arrest. The force said protests related to Palestine Action use significant police resources; it spent £1.3 million on six Palestine-Israel public order events in June and July, according to a freedom of information response. Defend Our Juries criticised the policing approach as an escalation and questioned arrests of people supporting peaceful protesters.
In short
- Met Police arrested Palestine Action supporters outside the US Embassy.
- Organisers expected about 400 demonstrators.
- The protest preceded a Supreme Court hearing on the ban.
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The case for
Supporters of the proscription argue that Parliament judged Palestine Action to meet the legal threshold for a banned organisation, and that the law must be enforced consistently while the courts consider the challenge. They say displaying support or helping organise a protest may fall within the offence, and that clear enforcement can protect public order and avoid leaving police to manage repeated, resource-intensive events without workable boundaries.
The case against
Critics argue that arresting people for peaceful signs risks chilling political expression and protest, especially when the legality of the ban is before the Supreme Court. They say the police response may be disproportionate if it targets support for protesters or organisers without evidence of harm, and that public-order costs do not by themselves justify restricting peaceful dissent.
Explained simply
Palestine Action is a campaign group whose members have targeted companies they say are linked to Israel’s military. The UK government proscribed the group in June 2025, making membership and certain forms of support for it criminal offences under UK law.
Defend Our Juries is a protest group that campaigns about the right to protest and trial by jury. The dispute over Palestine Action’s legal status has raised questions about how the ban applies to public demonstrations and freedom of expression.
The Metropolitan Police is responsible for policing protests in London and enforcing the law. The issue matters because decisions about arrests can affect both public safety and people’s ability to express political views.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Met Police make first arrests of pro-Palestine Action demonstrators as they pledge support for banned group outside US Embassy”.