Palestine Action claims ban is ‘authoritarian abuse' of power
The group's founder, Huda Ammori, has asked the High Court to temporarily block the government from proscribing it under the Terrorism Act.
The ban is set to become law at midnight on Saturday after being approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords. If it goes ahead, membership and support for Palestine Action would become a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
'This is the first time in our history that a direct action civil disobedience group, which does not advocate for violence, has been sought to be proscribed as terrorists,' Raza Husain KC, representing Ammori, said.
Husain said his client 'was inspired by the long tradition of direct action in this country', including the Suffragettes and movements against apartheid and the Iraq War, and wished to take action 'to prevent harm before it happens'.
Quoting Ammori, the barrister continued that the group had 'never encouraged harm to any person at all' and that its goal 'is to put ourselves in the way of the military machine perpetrating genocide'.
• Revealed: Palestine Action's map of UK targets
Addressing Mr Justice Chamberlain, Husain said: 'We ask you, in the first instance, to suspend until July 21 what we say is an ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian abuse of statutory power which is alien to the basic tradition of the common law and is contrary to the Human Rights Act.'
The Home Office is opposing both the bid to delay the ban from becoming law, and the potential attempt to launch a legal challenge against the decision.
There was a heavy police presence with dozens of officers and several police vans in the street outside the Royal Courts of Justice as several hundred protesters gathered. The group's supporters waved Palestinian flags and held placards as organisers beat drums and chanted slogans.
• Chants of 'death to the IDF' as Palestine Action members face court
Protesters, ranging from children to the elderly, described the bans as 'erasing resistance' and an 'outrageous' attack on a democratic right to protest. Many protesters said they will still support the cause, even if the proscription comes into force. A minor scuffle unfolded mid-morning after a counterprotester from Our Fight UK, a pro-Israeli group, was removed. No arrests were made as the two protesters were moved away from the Palestine Action protest.
Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, moved to proscribe the group after activists caused an alleged £7 million worth of damage to two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton on June 20. The group has also repeatedly targeted the Elbit Systems UK, which it says makes military hardware for the Israel Defence Forces.
In the hearing, Palestine Action argued that the criminal damage it has meted out to its targets does not constitute terrorism, although it conceded its activists caused 'serious damage to property', as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000. Palestine Action said that the government's use of its statutory power needs to be balanced against the group's human rights, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful association.
Chamberlain suggested an assessment on whether to ban Palestine Action under terrorist laws had been made as early as March, and 'preceded' the incident at RAF Brize Norton.
Husain replied: 'Yes they did, and that is very relevant to today because it is very relevant to timing.'
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