Police probe to identify Palestine Action demonstrators 'wearing t-shirts and holding banners'

Police are working to identify people seen wearing t-shirts and holding banners showing support for Palestine Action after a demonstration in Edinburgh.

Officers attended planned protests in the capital on Saturday after Scotland Yard warned protestors they could be arrested even if they do not hold up placards in support of the banned organisation.

Dozens of demonstrators were arrested after they gathered outside the US embassy in London in support of proscribed group Palestine Action.

More than 100 people took part in the protest in Nine Elms, south-west London, on Saturday afternoon, with many holding signs reading: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”

In a post on X shortly before 4pm, the Metropolitan Police said it had arrested 48 people, with the majority detained for expressing support for a proscribed organisation, with further arrests expected throughout the day.

Expressing support for the group is an offence under the Terrorism Act after it was proscribed in June 2025.

Police Scotland confirmed no arrests were made on Saturday at the protest at the US consulate near Holyrood.

However, a spokesperson said: “Enquiries are ongoing to identify people seen wearing t-shirts and holding banners showing support for a proscribed organisation.”

“Evidence is being reviewed and further action will be taken as appropriate.”

The protests come ahead of an appeal at the Supreme Court against Palestine Action’s designation as a terror group on November 4.

In June, five Court of Appeal judges said the ban on Palestine Action as a terror group was a “justified and proportionate” interference on freedom of expression rights.

This overturned the judgment of three judges at the High Court who ruled in February that the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to ban Palestine Action was unlawful, after a legal challenge from the group’s co-founder Huda Ammori.

Figures released by the Home Office show that 92% of terrorism-related arrests made between March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026 were linked to Palestine Action.

Defend Our Juries, which is organising the demonstrations, said it is targeting US government buildings with the latest round of protests because it claims the Palestine Action ban was handed out to appease US President Donald Trump

In August, the US government announced sanctions against Palestine Action, designating it a terror group.