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@The_NewArabPalestine Action appeared in a London court to challenge its designation as a terrorist group, as hundreds protested in support 👇
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UK Bans Palestine Action as Terror Group After RAF Jet Sabotage
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The UK government has formally proscribed direct-action campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that the order will take effect from midnight on 4 July, after which belonging to, financing or publicly supporting the group will be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The House of Commons approved the proscription by 385 votes to 26 on 2 July, and the House of Lords endorsed the measure the following day. Cooper told lawmakers the group had shown a “willingness to use violence” and posed a risk to national security through repeated attacks on defence-related sites.
Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori sought interim relief at the High Court, calling the move an “authoritarian abuse” of power, but Mr Justice Chamberlain refused the application on 4 July, ruling that the public interest in enforcing the order outweighed potential harm to supporters. Ammori was advised to take the case directly to the Court of Appeal.
The crackdown follows an incident on 20 June at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where two activists riding electric scooters breached security and sprayed red paint over two military transport aircraft, causing an estimated £7 million in damage, according to the Ministry of Defence. Four defendants linked to the break-in have since been remanded on conspiracy charges.
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action has staged high-profile occupations and vandalism targeting companies it says supply weapons to Israel, including several facilities associated with defence contractor Elbit Systems. Civil-liberties groups and some lawmakers warn that the proscription could chill non-violent protest, while ministers argue it will give police stronger tools to prevent further attacks on critical infrastructure.
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