High Court Criticizes Ban as Disproportionate
London’s High Court on Friday ruled that Britain’s designation of the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was unlawful. However, the ban will temporarily remain in effect while the government appeals.
Palestine Action was proscribed in July after increasing “direct action” against Israel-linked defence firms in the UK. The group frequently blocked entrances and sprayed red paint as part of its protests.
The UK government argued the group’s activities amounted to terrorism. Officials cited a 2024 raid on the factory of Israel’s largest defence contractor, Elbit Systems. Prosecutors claimed activists caused £1 million in damages and injured a police officer with a sledgehammer.
The High Court acknowledged that Palestine Action “promotes its political cause through criminality and the encouragement of criminality.” Yet Judge Victoria Sharp ruled that banning the group was a disproportionate interference with freedom of expression. The decision highlighted the risk that the ban could suppress legitimate pro-Palestinian protest.
Controversial Protests and Government Response
The ban followed a June break-in at the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton air base. Activists damaged two planes, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to describe the action as “disgraceful.”
Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action in 2020, argued that the ban was an authoritarian move aimed at restricting the right to protest. The High Court’s ruling supports the view that such measures can infringe civil liberties.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood responded by announcing the government intends to challenge the judgment in the Court of Appeal. She emphasized that the ban’s legal effect will remain until the appeal is resolved.
Implications for Activists and Civil Liberties
The ban equated Palestine Action with extremist groups like Daesh and Al Qaeda. Membership carried a maximum 14-year prison sentence, and more than 2,000 people were arrested for holding supportive signs. Friday’s ruling could result in many of those charges being dropped.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that following the judgment, they will prioritize evidence-gathering over arrests for public support of the group. Civil liberties organisations, including Amnesty International, welcomed the ruling. Even Irish novelist Sally Rooney raised concerns that her public support for Palestine Action could have affected the sale of her books.
The High Court noted that the proscription could cause pro-Palestinian protesters to self-censor. It warned that the ban might unintentionally restrict lawful speech and peaceful activism.
The ruling comes two weeks after six people charged over the 2024 Elbit raid were acquitted of aggravated burglary. Prosecutors, however, plan to seek retrials on counts where juries failed to reach verdicts, including the alleged assault on a police officer.
The case highlights the tension between national security measures and the protection of civil liberties in the UK. Observers say the appeal will be closely watched for its impact on future protest and activist rights.
