UK court upholds terrorism ban on pro-Palestinian group

LONDON: London’s Appeals Court on Monday upheld a UK government ban on activist group Palestine Action that has seen thousands of people — from students to an 83-year-old retired vicar — arrested and carried away from protests by police.

The ban, which came into force on July 5, 2025, was imposed under the country’s Terrorism Act.

It made membership of or support for the pro-Palestinian protest group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the terrorism legislation.

The banning of the group had been challenged by Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori, but the Appeals Court ruled “the proscription decision was not unlawful”.

Palestine Action “is not, as it claims, a direct action civil disobedience protest group like the suffragettes operating transparently in the open,” said judge Sue Carr, reading the decision.

“It is a covert organisation operating with secret cells to avoid the detection and prosecution of those using violence to destroy the property of third parties.”

The ban, which has led to some 3,000 arrests, puts the group on a government blacklist that also includes Palestinian militants Hamas and the Lebanese Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had defended the proscription, arguing supporters of the group were unaware of the “full nature” of the organisation.

“It’s really important that no-one is in any doubt that this is not a non-violent organisation,” she said last year.

Set up in 2020, the Palestine Action’s stated goal on its website — blocked to UK internet users — is to end “global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

It gained visibility as a result of the war in Gaza triggered by the deadly October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

Palestine Action has mainly targeted weapons factories in the UK, especially those belonging to the Israel-based defence group Elbit.

Since the ban came into force, protesters have held a string of rallies holding up signs saying: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, resulting in many arrests.

Hundreds have been charged and are awaiting court hearings.

The group challenged the ban in the UK courts on the basis that it was “disproportionate” and had a “very significant” impact on human rights.

The High Court in London in February agreed and ruled in Palestine Action’s favour but the government then appealed.

Monday’s ruling at the Appeals court however reverses that judgement, finding in favour of the UK’s interior ministry.

The ruling comes after a judge on Friday jailed four activists for raiding an Elbit site near Bristol in western England causing over a million pounds in damage.

Wearing red boilersuits, the four damaged computers, drones and other equipment, before clashing with security guards and police who tried to stop them in the August 2024 raid.

One of them hit a police officer twice on the back with a sledgehammer, leaving her with a fractured spine.

The group said their aim was to “dismantle drones and weaponry” they believed would be used to kill people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

They were each jailed for between four years and eight months and seven years and eight months.

Israel’s devastating military response against Gaza and its population triggered a case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel committed “genocide”. The case is ongoing, but the international court has already said there is a “plausible risk” of genocide.