UK Moves to Label Palestine Action a Terrorist Group Over Protesting Complicity in Israel’s Genocide
London (Quds News Network)- UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. If Parliament approves the order on Monday, June 30, membership or support for the anti-genocide group will become a criminal offense under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The move follows a protesr at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last week. Activists from the group sprayed red paint on British military aircraft, in protest against the UK complicity in Israel’s Gaza genocide. Cooper called the protest a “disgraceful attack” and accused the group of a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage.”
Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation.
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action targets companies linked to the Israeli military, which has been recently accused ar the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of committing genocide. The group stresses that its goal is to stop British complicity in war crimes in Palestine. In a statement after the RAF incident, it said:
“Despite condemning Israel publicly, Britain continues to aid its military operations. When the government fails morally and legally, citizens must act.”
On Sunday, over a thousand people gathered in Trafalgar Square to support Palestine Action. Police made several arrests. The Metropolitan Police also placed strict restrictions on a planned protest outside Parliament, limiting it to a three-hour window.
Legal representatives of the group have condemned the government’s move. A letter from Kellys Solicitors said the proposal is “unlawful, dangerous and ill-thought-out.” They warned it would set a “terrifying precedent,” placing non-violent protest groups alongside terrorist organisations like ISIS and al-Qaida.
The letter pointed out that many Palestine Action activists have been acquitted by UK juries and that the group has broad public support. It added:
“While some acts caused property damage, Palestine Action does not advocate violence against people. Many actions involve peaceful marches, rallies, and demonstrations.”
The group’s lawyers argue that no other direct action protest organisation has ever been banned under the Terrorism Act. They say the government’s response is an “authoritarian turn” and an assault on the rights to free speech and assembly.
The debate in Parliament on June 30 will determine whether the ban becomes law. If passed, it would mark the first time a UK peaceful protest movement is legally classified as a terrorist group.
