Keir Starmer warns Palestine Action have 'targeted Jewish businesses' as PM defends banning terror group
The Prime Minister is said to have told a meeting of Labour 's National Executive Committee that proscribing the group was not intended to stifle debate on Gaza.
But he outlined a 'history of break-ins, sabotage and targeting Jewish-owned businesses' and said all groups are 'held to the same standard', according to a report.
Sir Keir moved to ban Palestine Action after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in June - an incident the group said it was behind.
It means that membership of, or support for, the now-proscribed group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Government's action has been criticised by some as an attack on free speech and the right to protest.
Organisers have said more than 500 people are willing to risk arrest by taking part in a demonstration in support of the terror group in central London on Saturday.
Ann Black, a member of Labour's NEC, said she shared concerns about Palestine Action's proscription during a meeting of the party's ruling body last month.
In her account of the meeting, published on the LabourList website, she wrote: 'I passed on concerns about proscribing Palestine Action.
'Many members see their actions as comparable to the Greenham Common women who broke into RAF bases, criminal property damage but not on a par with Al-Qaeda.
'Or Patriotic Alternative who, according to Hope Not Hate, support political violence and Holocaust denial, or the mobs attacking asylum-seekers, security guards and police.
'Keir said that all organisations are held to the same standard, and Palestine Action has a history of break-ins, sabotage and targeting Jewish-owned businesses.
'(The latter would indeed be disturbing but is not mentioned on the government website.)
'He assured us that the ban is not intended to stifle debate on Palestine.
'Though it is clogging up courts and police stations with pensioners for holding placards and Private Eye cartoons.'
A source also told The Times of Sir Keir's comments to the NEC: 'He said, 'It's not just the RAF bases, they've planned and attacked Jewish-owned businesses'.
'He said there were some incidents that were well known, and others that were not.'
Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy yesterday warned Brits to 'stay away' from the planned Palestine Action protest this weekend.
Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Nandy was asked if those who attend Saturday's demonstration will be arrested and charged with terror offences.
The Culture Secretary stressed this would be 'an operational matter for the police', adding: 'It wouldn't be right for us to say, to try and dictate to them how they police any march.
'But what I would say is, I think some of the reporting around this is conflating legitimate protests.
'Just last week I was coming out of Parliament, there were lots of pro-Palestinian protesters there, peacefully demonstrating.
'At the heart of power, that's absolutely right and proper and important for them to do... I commend them for that.
'There's a difference between that and supporting a proscribed terror organisation that wishes harm on the British people.
'And I would just urge people to stay away from those sorts of events and to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful and legitimate way.'
Organisers said those taking part in Saturday's protest will hold 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' signs as part of a campaign to end the group's proscription.
Defend Our Juries added that the protest would go ahead as planned after the 'conditional commitment requirement' was reached.
They denied that the planned mass protest will try to overwhelm the police and justice system.
More than 200 people were arrested at a wave of protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month as part of the campaign co-ordinated by Defend Our Juries.
Many of the protesters were detained after writing and holding up the message 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' on placards or pieces of cardboard.
A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system.
'The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests.
'While we will not go into the specific details of our plan, the public can be assured that we will have the resources and processes in place to respond to any eventuality.
'Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription.
'Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.'
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