A great day for sanity as Home Office is humiliated as High Court says the absurd Palestine Action proscription is 'unlawful' on two grounds following a Judicial review brought by Huda Ammori and ,rules that Palestine Action proscription ruled disproportionate and resulted in a very significant interference in the right to freedom of speech and assembly,it also interferes with our basic human rights obligations, the news sparked scenes of "jubilation" outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
But it's so crazy a High Court needed to make a ruling that opposing the mass murder of people does NOT make you a terrorist! The anti–Gaza genocide direct action group was banned in July 2025, with then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper telling Parliament its peaceful protests particularly targeting weapons manufacturers met the statutory definition for terrorism under the Terrorism Act and posed a threat to national security. Just 25 MPs voted against the order.
The “terrorist” label has seen individuals accused of participating in Palestine Action protests prior to the ban subjected to lengthy and draconian imprisonment on remand ahead of trial for criminal damage against Israeli arms suppliers and one UK military plane. Eight young people risked their lives in hunger strikes protesting the ban and their treatment by prison authorities.
The consequences of the proscription decision have been chilling. In just 4 months, organisations have been silenced and more than 2,000 arrests and anti-terror powers used against protesters. When protest is treated like terrorism, everyone’s freedoms are at risk.
A massive victory and vindication however for these tireless activists who have put themselves bravely on the line to oppose Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the British states complicity in it– and for the basic principles of democracy, freedom of speech and the right to protest.
And another victory for Palestinians, because the High Court’s decision is a clear recognition of the fact that the vast majority of British people vehemently oppose Israel’s genocide and support Palestinian national rights.
It’s also yet another historic defeat for this calamitous government, which has been trying to criminalise solidarity, while continuing to arm a genocide and support Israeli apartheid. Palestine Action are true heroes, standing on the right side of history and opposing the British state’s disgusting complicity in a genocide.
Current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “disappointed” with the ruling and disagreed “with the notion that banning this terrorist organisation is disproportionate.” She will appeal the decision and PA remains proscribed at least until a hearing on the 20th of this month. This Home Secretary should be apologising and lifting the ban immediately, and her predecessor should be resigning.
Shabana Mahmood - will be remembered only as a perfect example of how her supposed 'morals and principles' went out of the window as soon as money and promotion walked in the door... How ashamed her family must be of her.
Nevertheless, this is still a tremendous humiliating defeat for the Labour government bent on criminalising solidarity. It has spent vast amounts of money and political capital in the course of its anti-democratic campaign spearheaded by the outlawing of Palestine Action.
Hours of screen time and reams of articles have been used by ministers and their flunkies in the press to demonise the organisation. Millions have been spent on policing operations which have seen footage widely broadcast of elderly and disabled protesters being bundled away for quietly holding placards. The government has ignored letters of protest from international human rights organisations and United Nations officials.
Now all the charges must drop, and Britain must finally end its complicity in genocide. Justice must now be done for those wrongfully detained, and counter-terrorism powers must never again be used to criminalise peaceful dissent.
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