UK appeals court restores terrorism ban on Palestine Action
Why it matters: The ruling keeps support for the group a criminal offense, with up to 14 years in prison and about 3,000 arrests since the ban took effect.
A British appeals court on June 15 upheld the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act, reversing a lower-court ruling that had found the move unlawful. The decision means membership of or support for the pro-Palestinian activist group remains a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Judge Sue Carr said the group was a covert organization using secret cells and violence to damage third-party property, not an open civil disobedience movement. The challenge was brought by co-founder Huda Ammori. The ban, in force since July 5, 2025, has led to about 3,000 arrests and hundreds of charges. Palestine Action, founded in 2020, has targeted sites linked to Elbit and other weapons facilities in Britain.