Hundreds protest Palestine Action ban outside US embassy in London, police make arrests
Police arrested demonstrators at the first mass protest under Andy Burnham's premiership against the proscription of Palestine Action, as hundreds gathered outside the US embassy in Battersea.
Police have made arrests at the first mass demonstrations under Andy Burnham's premiership opposing the proscription of Palestine Action. Hundreds of people gathered outside the US embassy in Battersea, south London, holding signs reading «I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action».
The Metropolitan Police began detaining demonstrators, with a Met commander alleging that those gathered were «essentially meeting to purposefully commit a crime». Police warned those planning to join the demonstration that expressing support for the group is an offence under the Terrorism Act, after Palestine Action was proscribed in June 2025.
Demonstrators also held a vigil in support of the group outside the US consulate in Edinburgh, extending the protest beyond the capital. The gatherings show the continuing public opposition to the ban, which places support for the organisation within the scope of terrorism legislation.
The protests come as the proscription remains in force and as the government of Andy Burnham faces its first large-scale test of how it handles demonstrations linked to the ban. The use of arrests at a gathering of this size highlights the tension between the state's enforcement of the Terrorism Act and the right of citizens to protest.
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