Police arrested dozens of protesters in London and Edinburgh on Saturday during demonstrations held in support of Palestine Action. The events, which took place outside the US embassy in Nine Elms and the US consulate in Edinburgh, marked the first mass protests against the group's proscription under the premiership of Andy Burnham.
Legal Context of the Protests
Palestine Action was officially proscribed as a terrorist organization in June 2025. Under the Terrorism Act, expressing support for a proscribed group is a criminal offense. While a High Court ruling previously deemed the government's ban unlawful, the Court of Appeal later overturned that decision, declaring the proscription a “justified and proportionate” interference with freedom of expression.
