UK court to rule on ban of pro-Palestinian group

LONDON, June 15 — London’s High Court will today rule on a legal standoff between the government and 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, made membership of or support for the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under terrorism legislation.

Today’s ruling will determine whether the government overstepped its powers in banning Palestine Action.

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

The government has been criticised for taking too broad a view of the definition of what constitutes “terrorism”.

But Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has 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 in southern Israel.

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.

‘Disproportionate’ 

Palestinian 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.

The group challenged the ban in court 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.

Today’s ruling on that challenge will settle the long-running case.

The judgment will focus on whether banning the group under Britain’s Terrorism Act 2000 was legal and proportionate.

The final ruling will come 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.

Some 125 supporters who demonstrated outside Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London where they were sentenced were arrested, police said. — AFP