Palestine Action terror ban ruled unlawful by judges

Group remains proscribed, subject to a government appeal

- HOLLY BANCROFT

The Home Office’s decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism legislation was unlawful, the High Court has ruled in a humiliating blow for the government that could lead to the collapse of hundreds of criminal prosecutions against supporters of the group.

Huda Ammori, co-founder of the group, celebrated a “monumental victory” yesterday after Justice Victoria Sharp said that the proscription of Palestine Action was “disproportionate”, and that it “did result in a very significant interference with the right to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of assembly”.

Three senior judges concluded that only a very small number of Palestine Action’s activities amounted to terrorism, and that the group’s acts had not crossed the high bar to make it a terrorist organisation.

The ban remains in place for now and the government has said it will appeal, but the Metropolitan Police said officers would no longer arrest people simply for showing support for Palestine Action and will instead “focus on gathering evidence of those offences ... to provide opportunities for enforcement at a later date”. It admitted that these “are unusual circumstances”.

The ruling means it is still a criminal offence to support or be a member of Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Since the proscription last July, thousands of people have been arrested for holding up placards in support of the group.

Lawyers for Ms Ammori and the Home Office have until 20 February to provide further submissions to the court ahead of more hearings that will decide whether the ban should be lifted, and whether the case will head to the Court of Appeal.

As news came through of the judges’ decision yesterday morning, about a hundred people gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London started cheering and chanting “Free Palestine”.