Palestine Action, a protest group aiming to shut down Israeli arms production and trade within the UK, were named a terrorist organisation and banned on the 5th of July 2025. Coming after an alleged break in and damage at RAF Brize Norton, the UK’s largest air base, their proscription made it a criminal offence to belong to or invite support for the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. According to campaign group Defend Our Juries, over 2,500 people have been arrested for expressing support, with hundreds charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act – a lesser offence that carries a maximum of six months prison time. Supporters of the group suggested that the ban had a “chilling impact” on protest rights and freedom of expression.
Led by Dame Victoria Sharp of the King’s Bench Division, the panel ruled on the 13th of February that Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori’s challenge was successful on two legal grounds. Alongside having “a very significant interference” with rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, the ban was deemed inconsistent with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s policy requiring proscriptions to consider factors including the nature and scale of activities, including the perceived threat to the safety of the United Kingdom.
Ammori hailed the decision as a “monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people, striking down a decision that will forever be remembered as one of the most extreme attacks on free speech in recent British history.” Moreover, she claimed that ‘we’ve used the same tactics as direct action organisations throughout history, including anti-war groups Kier Starmer defended in court, and the government acknowledged in these legal proceedings that this ban was based on property damage, not violence against people.”
"This decision marks the first time an organisation banned under anti-terrorism laws has successfully challenged their proscription in court"
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, disappointed in the decision to overturn this ban, expressed that she “disagree[s] with the notion that banning this terrorist organisation is disproportionate. The proscription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process, endorsed by Parliament.” Despite being urged to respect the decision, she has stated that she would take it to the court of appeals, leaving the fate of over 2,500 people uncertain in a legal limbo.
This decision marks the first time an organisation banned under anti-terrorism laws has successfully challenged their proscription in court in what has been deemed a major blow for Kier Starmer’s government.