London, July 4, 2025 — Today the High Court in London convened to hear Palestine Action’s urgent legal bid requesting that it temporarily suspend the UK government’s proscription of Palestine Action campaign group, set to come into effect this Saturday under Terrorism Act 2000 and designating what has been described as peaceful direct-action protest group as terrorist organization under which membership or even support could result in prison terms of up to 14 years if enforced.
Background to the Ban Palestine Action was formed in mid-202020 by activists including Huda Ammori to target British factories and installations allegedly providing arms to Israel. Their most visible action took place at RAF Brize Norton on June 20, when activists used red paint sprayed onto two military refuelling aircraft engines to cause an estimated damage bill of PS7 Million, according to reports by The Guardian, Reuter’s, Wikipedia and En.wikipedia.org (The Guardian +13), respectively.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper swiftly moved to ban Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation and it was approved on July 2, with 385 voting to 26 to ban Palestine Action, classifying them alongside extremist organizations such as En.Wiki.Org +15 and Aljazeera +15 (the Guardian + 15), plus Al Jazeera which also listed it.
Court Challenge Highlights
In a packed court, lawyers representing Huda Ammori made the claim that her ban represents an authoritarian abuse of statutory powers and marks the first instance where such nonviolent civil disobedience groups as terrorists, according to standard.co.uk (US news service), Yahoo (UK news), Aa.com.tr and AAP.tr news sources.
Barrister Raza Husain KC insisted that Palestine Action did not advocate violence against anyone, drawing inspiration from longstanding UK protest traditions such as those used by suffragettes and anti-apartheid activists;standard.co.uk
+11 and aa.com.tr as examples.
They requested an injunction to postpone the ban until a full judicial review on July 21. However, the government claimed that property damage at an RAF base constitutes a serious threat to national security and thus justified anti-terror designation for such property damage, according to UK.News.Yahoo.Com/feeds/10 +10 [or 15+10 for those reading at home].
Wider Reaction
Many activists and rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and UN experts, have strongly objected to the proscription as setting a dangerous precedent. Their argument is that penalizing property damage under anti-terror legislation instead of violent acts undermines democratic rights (AAA.com.tr, Reuter’s, The Guardian).
Demonstrators outside the Royal Courts of Justice held placards with messages such as, ‘Legal to Support Genocide and Illegal to Oppose It,” warning that this crackdown threatens broader protest freedoms (standard.co.uk/AAA.com.tr +3)
Cultural figures across the UK have also expressed their disapproval. A letter published in The Guardian and signed by hundreds–including musicians and authors–warned that labeling direct action as terrorist acts “sets an troubling precedent”, blurring lines between militant extremists and protest movements. They wrote this in The Guardian (+1), where this letter could also be found (aa.com.tr +1).
What to Expect A decision on the interim injunction will likely come later today; if unsuccessful, its severe penalties would take effect at midnight. Supporters and lawyers emphasize that regardless of today’s outcome, an exhaustive legal review will take place over time regarding both how the law was applied to this group and their treatment by authorities.
Implications for UK Civil Liberties
This case lies at the intersection of civil rights and national security, with critics noting how government response may criminalize dissenters in contexts involving international conflicts like Gaza (ie, The Guardian’s report plus Yahoo news/Aa.com.tr reports).
The challenge brings into focus for the court an issue which could reshape lawful protest in Britain for years: is property-targeted nonviolent protest terrorism?