UK High Court rejects bid to halt Palestine Action terror list ban

Middle East Eye

10 hours ago

The High Court in London has rejected an attempt to temporarily block the UK government's move to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, following an appeal by the group's co-founder.
Lawyers representing Huda Ammori, co-founder of the pro-Palestinian direct action group, appeared before the court on Friday to challenge the decision by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to proscribe the group under terrorism laws.
But after the hearing. judge Mr Justice Chamberlain said: "I have concluded that the harm which would ensue if interim relief is refused but the claim later succeeds is insufficient to outweigh the strong public interest in maintaining the order of force.
'In reaching this decision I have borne in mind my assessment of the merits of the claim at this early stage.'
The ban is scheduled to take effect this weekend. A further hearing is scheduled for 21 July when thr group is expected to apply for a judicial review to overturn the ban.
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Palestine Action, known for targeting companies involved in the Israeli arms trade, has denied any links to terrorism and described the government's move as politically motivated.
During the hearing, lawyers for Ammori criticised the government's assessment, highlighting that plans to proscribe the group had been in place as early as March, well before last month's incident claimed by the group at RAF Brize Norton where two military planes were sprayed with red paint.
"Why move to proscribe before then? They put their bodies on the line between the genocide and violations of international law and the munitions and airplanes," said Blinne Nessa Aine Ni Ghralaigh, one of Ammori's legal representatives.
"The context for why the Home Secretary has proscribed Palestine Action is materially relevant - and that is the situation in Gaza. It is an annihilation, it is a genocide, according to rights groups, leading academics, scholars, and many states including Ireland."
Aine Ni Ghralaigh added that the proscription could cause 'irreparable harm' to individuals and civil society groups, warning that vague and ambiguous language in the order could lead to widespread self-censorship and a broader chilling effect on protest and free expression.
Friday's hearing aimed both to pause the implementation of the ban and to determine whether Palestine Action can mount a full legal challenge against the proscription order.
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The government's order to proscribe the group followed a vote in Parliament on Wednesday, during which MPs approved the order.
Alongside Palestine Action, the proscription order also included the Maniacs Murder Cult, a neo-Nazi group, and the Russian Imperial Movement, a white supremacist organisation.
The move came after Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last month using electric scooters and sprayed two RAF planes with red paint. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the act as 'disgraceful,' while the Ministry of Defence claimed the activists caused £7 million in damages.
Following the parliamentary vote, Palestine Action criticised the Home Secretary for "bundling our domestic civil disobedience protest group in with two violent neo-Nazi militias".
"Many MPs told us that, as a consequence, they felt they did not have the option to vote against the measure," the group said in a statement.
Ten Labour MPs, including Liverpool MP Richard Burgon, voted against the government. Burgon warned that the ban risked 'criminalising thousands of volunteers and supporters.'
Outside the High Court on Friday, hundreds gathered to protest the government's designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
The court proceedings came a day after four activists linked to the RAF Brize Norton protest were denied bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
The defendants - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29; Jony Cink, 24; Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 35; and Lewie Chiaramello, 22 - were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to national safety.
District Judge Daniel Steinberg denied bail over concerns that the four might commit further offences if released. They are due to appear at the Central Criminal Court on 18 July for a plea hearing.
During Thursday's bail hearing, several supporters were ejected from the courtroom after chanting 'Free, free Palestine' as proceedings concluded.