Court Deals Blow to Government Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge by the Labour government, allowing a legal review of the decision to proscribe the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws to proceed.
The Home Office had appealed against an earlier High Court ruling that granted the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, permission to seek a judicial review. That initial ruling found the government’s ban appeared to disproportionately interfere with rights to freedom of speech and assembly, and that ministers should have consulted the group before proscribing it.
The group was officially banned in July, making membership or showing support for it a criminal offence. The government’s decision followed a series of incidents, including a breach of security at an RAF base.
Despite the ban, the group has continued its activities, with nearly 900 supporters arrested at a single London protest last month. Today’s ruling means the full judicial review of the proscription is scheduled to begin on 25 November as planned.
Palestine Action hailed the decision as a “landmark victory.” Ms. Ammori was also granted permission to appeal on two additional grounds.
Speaking after the hearing, Ms. Ammori condemned the ban as “absurdly authoritarian” and “one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history.” She stated that over 2,000 people have been arrested since the proscription and argued that using the Terrorism Act against “peaceful protesters” was a misuse of police resources.
The group, known for its direct-action tactics, has been involved in numerous protests across the UK. These have often included acts of vandalism and violence. Last year, the group targeted Barclays bank branches, smashing windows and daubing them with red paint. This summer, a defence technology firm in Bristol was vandalised, with staff and police officers allegedly assaulted.
The government’s decision to proscribe the group was prompted in part by an incident in June, where activists vandalised aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Two individuals reportedly gained access to the site on electric scooters, leading to a security review of UK defence facilities. However, other groups who have adopted similar tactics have not been banned, prompting many to claim that this is due to the Zionist influence over the UK government by powerful Israeli right-wingers who see Palestine Action as a threat to their hegemony.
Multiple rallies for the group have taken place in London since the July ban, resulting in hundreds of arrests for showing support. A protest earlier this month led to a further 492 arrests.
