Overview
- Police detained demonstrators who gathered outside the US embassy in Nine Elms, London and held vigils in Edinburgh and a march in Oxford on Saturday, with the Metropolitan Police reporting 48 arrests by mid‑afternoon and officers continuing to make arrests.
- Scotland Yard used a Section 35 dispersal order in parts of London that allows officers to order people to leave the area or face arrest and warned anyone seen organising, giving instructions or providing logistical support could be charged for expressing support for a proscribed group.
- The protests were organised by Defend Our Juries to show solidarity with Palestine Action and to challenge the government ban by displaying signs reading 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action' outside US diplomatic sites.
- The demonstrations come days before a two‑day Supreme Court hearing on November 4–5 that will decide whether the June 2025 proscription of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act was lawful and proportionate.
- Campaigners and police say the ban has led to thousands of arrests and heavy policing costs, with FOI figures showing the Met spent £1.3 million on six related public‑order events in June and July 2026, raising questions about enforcement, public resources and civil liberties.