Police arrest 139 Palestine Action supporters at US Embassy in London

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in London on Thursday, and police arrested 139 of them, most on suspicion of supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action. The protest was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the UK government’s decision to ban the organisation earlier this year, and organisers said they were demanding the ban be lifted and the embassy be held to account for U.S. policy in Gaza.

The ban, announced in March, followed a series of high‑profile actions by Palestine Action that targeted British and Israeli infrastructure to highlight the war in Gaza. The Home Office said the group posed a threat to public safety and national security, and placed it on the list of proscribed terrorist organisations. Critics argue the move criminalises peaceful dissent and stifles debate over Britain’s arms sales to Israel. The decision has sparked a wave of protests across the UK, with student unions, human‑rights groups and community organisations joining calls for the ban to be reversed.

Police said most of those detained were charged with “supporting a proscribed organisation” under the Terrorism Act, a provision that carries up to five years in prison. Lawyers for the arrested protestors warned that the charges could set a precedent for curbing free speech on foreign policy issues. Human‑rights groups such as Liberty condemned the arrests as “disproportionate” and called for an independent inquiry. The U.K. Foreign Office reiterated its support for Israel’s right to self‑defence while urging “peaceful protest” within the law.

The next steps will likely involve court hearings for the 139 detainees, with many expected to contest the charges on human‑rights grounds. The government faces pressure from opposition MPs and civil‑society groups to review the ban and clarify the legal definition of “support” for a proscribed group. The incident adds to a growing debate in Britain about how to balance national security with the right to protest foreign conflicts, and it may influence future policy on arms sales and diplomatic engagement with Israel and Palestine.