UK High Court Overturns Terrorist Ban on Palestine Action

Britain’s High Court on Friday ruled that the government acted unlawfully in declaring the pro-Palestinian protest group Palestine Action a terrorist organization, though the ban remains in effect pending an appeal. The court found that the group’s activities did not meet the required “level, scale and persistence” to justify proscription.

Judges Victoria Sharp, Jonathan Swift, and Karen Steyn described the decision to ban Palestine Action as “disproportionate,” emphasizing that the group’s actions, while occasionally criminal, did not warrant classification as terrorism. They noted that existing criminal laws remain sufficient to prosecute any unlawful acts.

Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori hailed the ruling as a “monumental victory” for free speech and the rights of activists in the UK. She described the initial ban as one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history.

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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed her disappointment and vowed to challenge the ruling in the Court of Appeal. She defended the government’s position, stating that the ban was necessary to protect national security and deter illegal activities.

The UK government had proscribed Palestine Action last year, placing it alongside al-Qaida and Hamas, following high-profile protests that included breaking into military sites and causing damage at facilities such as the Royal Air Force base and Elbit Systems UK. Membership or support for the group carries potential prison sentences of up to 14 years.

Supporters of Palestine Action and civil liberties organizations have criticized the arrests of over 2,000 individuals, many for peaceful demonstrations, as an infringement on free speech and the right to protest. The ruling underscores the delicate balance between national security and fundamental freedoms in Britain’s legal framework.

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