Pro-Palestinian Protest Group Can Appeal U.K. Ban, Judge Rules
The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer banned Palestine Action on July 5, saying that the group's campaign of vandalism, including of military planes at a Royal Air Force base, had put Britain's national security at risk.
As a result of the ban, the group was added to a list of terrorist organizations that includes ISIS and Al Qaeda, prompting criticism from the United Nations and a broad range of human rights groups that argued the decision was disproportionate and a threat to free speech.
A judge in the High Court in London ruled Wednesday that the British government's claim that Palestine Action could appeal the ban to an internal committee was 'not suitable,' partly because a large number of people have already been arrested as a result of the new offenses created and are facing court proceedings.
Justice Martin Chamberlain added that the ban had already had an impact on the 'freedom of expression and freedom to protest' on the Gaza war.
The judgment comes against the backdrop of a fierce public debate in Britain about Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza, where starvation is spreading after months of restrictions on aid. On Tuesday, Mr. Starmer announced that Britain would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a cease-fire with Hamas by September.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Paul Krugman on what some Republicans get wrong about the Fed
President Trump has made no secret of his desire for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. But as Paul Krugman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics and author of the substack "Paul Krugman," explains, some in the Republican party may have lost sight of what the Fed actually does. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Catalysts. Related videos Europe's most expensive city revealed, as living costs near £3,500 per month Britain's gas imports surge as Miliband abandons North Sea How much do you need in an ISA to target a £5,000 monthly passive income? How will the Lloyds share price be affected by today's Supreme Court ruling? Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rival groups gather as asylum hotel protest begins
A protest against the use of a hotel to accommodate asylum seekers has begun, with rival groups of protesters separated by police. The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions on a protest and counter protest outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, north London. People believed to be migrants watched from open windows inside the hotel as protesters chanted and banged drums in the street below on Saturday afternoon. A protest and counter-protest will also take place in Newcastle outside The New Bridge Hotel on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police said the protest against the use of the Islington hotel was organised by local residents under the banner 'Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no'. A counter-protest, organised by Stand Up To Racism and supported by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as well as other groups including Finsbury Park Mosque and Islington Labour Party, is also taking place. Police said the anti-asylum hotel protest had been 'endorsed by groups from outside the local community which is likely to increase the number of people attending'. Online groups that have voiced support for the protest include 'Patriots of Britain' and 'Together for the Children'. The Metropolitan Police said plans were in place to 'respond to any protest activity in the vicinity of other hotels in London being used to accommodate asylum seekers'. Conditions on the anti-asylum hotel protest include that anyone participating must remain within King Charles Square and that the assembly must not begin before 1pm and must conclude by 4pm. Police said conditions on the counter-protest include that participants must remain in Lever Street, near the junction with Central Street, and that the assembly must not begin before 12pm and must conclude by 4pm. Chief Superintendent Clair Haynes, in charge of the policing operation, said: 'We have been in discussions with the organisers of both protests in recent days, building on the ongoing engagement between local officers, community groups and partners. 'We understand that there are strongly held views on all sides. 'Our officers will police without fear or favour, ensuring those exercising their right to protest can do so safely, but intervening at the first sign of actions that cross the line into criminality. 'We have used our powers under the Public Order Act to put conditions in place to prevent serious disorder and to minimise serious disruption to the lives of people and businesses in the local community. 'Those conditions identify two distinct protest areas where the protests must take place, meaning the groups will be separated but still within sight and sound of each other.' There are also posts online advertising a 'for our children, for our future' protest in Newcastle on Saturday outside The New Bridge Hotel. A 'stop the far right and fascists in Newcastle' counter-protest has been organised by Stand Up To Racism at the nearby Laing Art Gallery. In a statement, the organisers of the counter protest said: 'Yet again far-right and fascist thugs are intent on bringing their message of hate to Newcastle. They aim to build on years of Islamophobia, anti-migrant sentiment and scapegoating. 'In Epping and elsewhere recently we have already seen intimidation and violence aimed at refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. 'Newcastle, like the rest of the North East, has a well-earned reputation for unity in the face of those who seek to divide us. Whatever problems we face, racism and division are not the answer.' Northumbria Police have been approached for comment. Meanwhile, about 100 people attended a protest outside the Stanwell Hotel in Spelthorne, Surrey, on Friday evening, during which a packet of lit firelighters was thrown at police, Surrey Police said. A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson and inquiries are ongoing to trace another suspect, the force said. Officers also arrested a man on suspicion of conspiracy to commit violent disorder and aggravated trespass following a protest at the same location on Thursday evening.
WIRED
2 hours ago
- WIRED
Google Will Use AI to Guess People's Ages Based on Search History
Aug 2, 2025 6:30 AM Plus: A former top US cyber official loses her new job due to political backlash, Congress is rushing through a bill to censor lawmakers' personal information online, and more. Photo-Illustration:Last week, the United Kingdom began requiring residents to verify their ages before accessing online pornography and other adult content, all in the name of protecting children. Almost immediately, things did not go as planned—although, they did go as expected. As experts predicted, UK residents began downloading virtual private networks (VPNs) en masse, allowing them to circumvent age verification, which can require users to upload their government IDs, by making it look like they're in a different country. The UK's Online Safety Act is just one part of a wave of age-verification efforts around the world. And while these laws may keep some kids from accessing adult content, some experts warn that they also create security and privacy risks for everyone. Russia's state-backed hacking group Turla is known for its bold, creative attacks, such as masking their communications via satellite or piggybacking on other hackers' attacks to avoid detection. The group, which is part of the Russian FSB intelligence agency, is now using its access to the country's internet providers to trick foreign officials into downloading spyware that breaks encryption, allowing Turla's hackers to access their private information. And that's not all. Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn't cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there. Google Will Start Estimating Your Age Based on Browsing Data Google is rolling out an AI-powered age-estimation system to apply content protections to Search and YouTube, even for users who haven't provided their age. The system is launching in the EU, where digital safety regulations mandate that platforms take steps to protect minors from potentially harmful content. Instead of relying solely on user-input data, Google says it will infer age using a 'variety of signals' and other metadata to determine if a user should be shown restricted results. Privacy advocates say the move risks inaccuracies and raises questions about transparency and consent. Google claims the changes align with regulatory expectations and will help protect younger users from inappropriate content. Still, the idea that platforms can algorithmically infer personal traits like age—and restrict content based solely on those assumptions—adds a new wrinkle to long-standing debates over moderation, censorship, and digital privacy. Army Revokes Former CISA Director's West Point Appointment After Political Backlash Just 24 hours after naming Jen Easterly as West Point's Distinguished Chair in Social Sciences, the Army rescinded the appointment following far-right criticism. The former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) director and academy alum had been lauded for her decades of service. But backlash erupted online after activist Laura Loomer claimed Easterly had ties to the Biden-era Disinformation Governance Board. Nina Jankowicz, who served as executive director of the board, denied having worked with Easterly in a post on BlueSky, calling the episode yet another example of how we're all living in 'the stupidest timeline.' Nevertheless, Army secretary Dan Driscoll canceled Easterly's contract and ordered a full review of West Point's hiring policies. The Army also suspended the practice of allowing outside groups to help select faculty. The reversal marks the second high-profile clash involving former CISA leaders and political pressure following Donald Trump's revocation of Chris Krebs' security clearance earlier this year. Congress Fast-Tracks Bill Letting Lawmakers Censor Info About Their Homes and Travel A bipartisan bill from US senators Amy Klobuchar and Ted Cruz could let lawmakers demand the removal of online posts showing their home addresses or travel plans, Rolling Stone reports. The proposal, which could pass by unanimous consent, is framed as a response to growing threats against public officials—especially after the assassination of Minnesota legislator Melissa Hortman last month. Watchdogs joined dozens of media outlets in warning that the bill could chill reporting and enable selective censorship. While the legislation includes a nominal exemption for journalists, critics say it remains vague enough to allow members of Congress to sue outlets or demand takedowns of legitimate news stories. 'The Cruz-Klobuchar bill would not provide [lawmakers] the protection they seek but would create a powerful new tool that would result in censorship of public discussion and press accountability for their actions,' Daniel Schuman of the American Governance Institute told Rolling Stone. He urged Congress to go 'back to the drawing board' and try crafting a bill that protects all Americans' privacy 'without undermining accountability for public officials.' Google Bug Let People Quietly Censor Articles From Search An alarming vulnerability in Google's Refresh Outdated Content tool allowed bad actors to selectively scrub individual URLs from search results, 404 Media reports. And there was no hacking required. Journalist Jack Poulson discovered the bug when two of his investigative pieces, including one about a tech CEO's domestic violence arrest, vanished from Google, even when searched by exact title in quotes. The exploit involved repeatedly submitting URLs with minor capitalization tweaks. This reportedly confused Google's indexing engine, which responded by de-listing not just the altered URLs but the original live articles too. Google confirmed the flaw and quietly rolled out a fix, saying it impacted only a 'tiny fraction of web pages.' Free press advocates warn the vulnerability could've enabled targeted, silent censorship, especially by powerful actors using reputation management tactics. 'If your article doesn't appear in Google search results,' Poulson said, 'in many ways it just doesn't exist.'
