UK Police Arrest 139 Pro-Palestine Action Demonstrators in London

British police arrested at least 139 demonstrators in London on Saturday during a rally supporting the "Palestine Action" movement, which has been classified as "terrorist." The arrests occurred days before a Supreme Court hearing to review the ban on the group. Metropolitan Police began making arrests after hundreds of protesters organized a "mass action" toward midday outside the U.S. Embassy. Police stated in an evening update that they "continue to make arrests," confirming 139 people had been detained. Many protesters carried signs reading "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action," "How is Trying to Stop Genocide a Crime?" and "We Are Protesters, Not Terrorists." The British government banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws in July 2025, leading to over 4,000 arrests on suspicion of supporting the group. Court sessions for over 2,000 of these cases were postponed to later this year. The government's classification followed protests organized by the movement, notably at a Royal Air Force base and an Elbit Systems facility. An appeals court upheld the ban in June, but a co-founder, Huda Ammouri, challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. A separate demonstration also took place in Edinburgh, Scotland. Steve Masters, a former Royal Air Force serviceman, stated, "There is no legal basis for this ban. Calling them terrorists is purely political, which empties the concept of terrorism itself of its value." Masters, 56, who has been arrested four times, emphasized the importance of "continuing to pressure the government and the judiciary" through protests. Margie Mansfield, 70, a former financial consultant arrested about ten times, said she had not participated in any protests before October 2023 and the "Israeli war of extermination in Gaza." She expressed little hope for the Supreme Court hearing, noting her "confidence in the judicial system is waning" and that there is "no indication the government is about to back down." Palestine Action was founded in 2020 with the stated goal of ending "global complicity in Israel's genocide and apartheid regime." The ban makes membership in or support for the movement a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.