Palestine Action can fight terrorism ban, judge rules

Palestine Action will be able to challenge the Home Office in court over its proscription as a terrorist organisation, a judge has ruled.

- HOLLY BANCROFT

Huda Ammori, the co-founder of the group, has sought to challenge the government's decision to ban the organisation under anti-terrorism laws.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper decided to proscribe the group after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint.

She also cited the group’s protest at a weapons equipment factory in Glasgow in 2022, which reportedly caused more than £1m worth of damage, and its targeting of Elbit Systems UK, an Israeli defence technology company, in her decision.

The ban came into force in early July making supporting Palestine Action a criminal offence, with membership or expressing support for the group punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

In his judgment yesterday, Mr Justice Chamberlain said that reports of arrests of pro-Palestine protesters, who were not expressing support for Palestine Action, “have a chilling effect on those wishing to express legitimate political views”. He said this was “an indirect consequence of the proscription order”.

The judge cited the arrest of Laura Murton, who was questioned by armed officers for holding a sign with the words “Free Gaza” and a Palestinian flag. In another recent case, a man was arrested under the terrorism act for holding up a Private Eye cartoon at a demonstration in Leeds.