Latest news with #ManiacsMurderCult
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why I couldn't ban 'terrorists' Palestine Action
A Manchester MP has called the move to ban Palestine Action and designate them as a terror group as a 'blow against British values'. The direct action group has now been proscribed, making membership of, or support for, the organisation a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. MPs voted to proscribe the group on Wednesday (July 2) with just 26 voting against it. The ban has now come into force after a late-night legal bid asking the High Court to delay the move failed on Friday (July 4). READ MORE: Ex-Asda manager told 'you knew exactly what you were involving yourself in' READ MORE: Tragedy as two boys, both aged 16, found dead on railway tracks The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident that Palestine Action claimed responsibility for and which police said caused around £7m worth of damage. Nine Labour MPs voted against proscribing the group, while 114 did not vote at all, including 10 from Greater Manchester. Not all MPs who did not vote actively abstained, but Manchester Rusholme MP Afzal Khan has explained his reasons why. In a post on social media, he said he could not 'in good conscience' vote to ban the group alongside 'well-know and violent' neo-Nazis. The order to proscribe Palestine Action which MPs approved in Parliament this week also included a ban on the white supremacist, neo Nazi group Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperial Movement, a white supremacist, ethno-nationalist organisation. In the post on Bluesky, Mr Khan said: "I am abstaining from this vote, as today's vote also includes proscribing well-known & violent neo-Nazi groups. I can't in good conscience vote in a way that represents my and my constituents' views with these groups being voted on all together." The Labour MP also shared a letter which he has written to the Home Secretary, expressing his concerns about the move. In the letter, he wrote: "Many constituents in Manchester Rusholme have expressed deep concern about the recent decision, as well as concerns of the Government limiting legitimate freedom of protest. "The decision sets a dangerous precedent and, as Amnesty International has warned, risks unlawful interference with the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. "The right to protest has long been a part of British democracy. While criminal damage should be prosecuted through the propoer channels, misusing terrorism legislation in this context risks chilling legitimate dissent, a point raised by many experts and human rights organisations, like Liberty. "Such a blow against British values and freedoms will also damage our standing on the global stage where we have called against the instruments of the state being used to silence voices of opposition. "I urge this Labour Government not to extend the legacy of its Conservative predecessor which used executive powers to tighten protest restrictions in the UK." The Home Office has welcomed the ban on Palestine Action after the group failed to block its proscription with a late-night legal bid. The group lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday evening (July 4), which sought to stop it being banned, less than two hours before the move came into force at midnight. A Home Office spokesperson said on Saturday (July 5): 'We welcome the Court's decision and Palestine Action are now a proscribed group. The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.'
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Court bid to block Palestine Action 'terror group' designation fails
That would make membership and support for the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Palestine Action was included along two extreme right groups, the Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC) and the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM), in the motion which went before parliament, which passed on Wednesday. Neither of the neo-Nazi groups had ever been mentioned in Parliament before, with Palestine Action accusing the government of including them to ensure that the motion passed. No Scottish MPs voted against proscribing the group, with the SNP abstaining. Read More: The motion also passed the House of Lords, meaning it would become law on Saturday once signed into law. Before the initial vote was held, Palestine Action was granted a hearing for temporary relief which would delay the implementation of the proscription pending a potential legal challenge. That took place before Mr Justice Chamberlain at the Royal Courts of Justice on Friday. Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, asked the High Court to temporarily block the Government from proscribing it under the Terrorism Act 2000, pending a potential legal challenge against the decision to ban the direct action group. Raza Husain KC, representing Ms Ammori, said: "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. "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.' Blinne Ni Ghralaigh KC, also representing Ms Ammori, said if a temporary block was not issued and the ban came into effect, the harm would be 'far-reaching', including 'irremediable harm to Palestine Action itself' and 'irreparable harm to large numbers of members of the public', causing some to 'self-censor'. Large crowds had gathered outside, including pro-Israel group Our Fight who carried a banner saying 'stop the lies - there is no genocide in Gaza'. Pro-Israel demonstrators outside the court in London (Image: Lucy North/PA Wire) However, the group said that they did not support Palestine Action being designated a terror group. Speaking on the street, Mark Birkbeck told the PA news agency: 'We don't actually support proscribing Palestine Action. We don't think they are a terrorist organisation and in fact, our argument is that it makes a mockery of what terrorism is. 'It's bizarre that (the Government) is presenting this as some kind of aggressive step. 'My suspicion is that Palestine Action are going to run rings around them. 'These people know what they are doing. I don't agree with them, I don't agree with their politics, but they've been doing this for years." Ben Watson KC, for the Home Office, said that if a temporary block was issued it would be a 'serious disfigurement of the statutory regime'. He said Palestine Action could challenge the proscription at the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission, a specialist tribunal, rather than at the High Court.
Roya News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
VIDEO: UK Parliament passes order labeling Palestine Action as terrorist group
British Members of Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to designate Palestine Action a terrorist organization. The amendment to the Terrorism Act 2000 passed with 385 votes in favor and 26 against. It includes the proscription of three groups: Palestine Action, the neo-Nazi Maniacs Murder Cult, and the Russia Imperial Movement. The measure now heads to the House of Lords for approval on Thursday. If passed, it will become law at midnight on July 9. Once enacted, it will be a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison, to be a member of, or offer support to, any of the three organizations, unless legal appeals by the groups are successful. While the government has argued the ban is based on national security assessments, several Labour MPs voiced strong opposition, particularly to the inclusion of Palestine Action in the same category as the other two groups. They warned the move 'threatens basic freedoms and sets a dangerous precedent for political dissent,' arguing that Palestine Action, known for its direct action protests against companies linked to the 'Israeli' military, should be viewed as a campaign group rather than a terrorist threat. Some MPs acknowledged the group's history of criminal damage but insisted that its actions did not warrant classification as terrorism. They also criticized the decision to bundle all three organizations into a single vote, which prevented Parliament from considering each on its own merits.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
MPs vote to proscribe Palestine Action as terrorist group
MPs have voted in favour of legislation to proscribe group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, passing by 385 votes to order, which amends the Terrorism Act 2000, is now expected to be signed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and come into effect later this week. Once in effect, supporting Palestine Action will become a criminal offence, with membership or expressing support for the direct action group punishable by up to 14 years in prison. However, legal action is being taken to try and temporarily block the order, with a hearing scheduled to take place on Friday at London's High Court. Palestine Action has been granted the hearing pending further proceedings to decide whether a legal challenge can be Palestine Action, the order also proscribes Maniacs Murder Cult, a white supremacist, neo-Nazi organisation and the Russian Imperial Movement, a white supremacist, ethno-nationalist move to proscribe Palestine Action was taken after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last month and sprayed two planes with red paint, an incident branded "disgraceful" by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Four arrested after RAF Brize Norton break-inSpeaking to the BBC about the group being proscribed, one of its members, Saeed Taji Farouky, said the action was "absurd" and that it "rips apart the very basic concepts of British democracy and the rule of law". Presenting the order to the House of Commons, Minister of State for Security Dan Jarvis said the public attention the group has garnered "should not be confused with legitimacy". He said the group had carried out "atrocious acts" which had increased in "frequency and severity" in recent times. "Its targets have broadened to include financial firms, charities, universities, and government buildings," he said. "Its methods have become more aggressive with its members demonstrating a willingness to use violence."Expressing support for the government's move, Conservative MP Harriet Cross said the groups facing proscription have "nothing whatsoever to do with legitimate protest". "They would not be facing proscription today if they were demonstrating peacefully, respectfully, or legally," she said. But a number of Labour backbenchers questioned the action and whether it would not be more proportionate for the group to be dealt with through criminal legislation. Labour MP Clive Lewis said there was "a long history in this country of direct action which pushes the boundaries of our democracy" and this was "still direct action... not terrorist action".His party colleague Richard Burgon said the legislation risked "criminalising thousands of volunteers and supporters" - pointed out a large number of people had been associated with the group in this capacity, including "students, nurses, retirees and professionals".The proscription order will now go before the Lords on Thursday where it is likely to pass. Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken then, 56,500 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
UK Government accused of stitching up Palestine Action vote
MPs are set to debate the proscription order later on Wednesday, which – if passed – would make membership and support for the direct action group illegal and punishable by up to 14 years in prison. If MPs vote to approve the proscription order, it would then need to go before the Lords on Thursday afternoon. The proscription order does not relate solely to Palestine Action, but includes three other groups: the "Maniacs Murder Cult", a Moldovan neo-Nazi group, the Russian Imperial Movement – a far-right group aiming to rebuild the Russian Empire – and its paramilitary wing the Russian Imperial Legion. READ MORE: LIVE: Latest updates as MPs vote on proscribing Palestine Action Independent MP and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn raised the matter in a point of order, as he asked for Palestine Action to be considered separately to the other organisations. He asked deputy speaker Roger Gale: "Can you consult with the Speaker's office about any process that could happen between now and the start of the debate on the statutory instrument on prevention of terrorism, so that the three organisations listed can be voted on separately? "Because I think that would be a proper way of members of the House expressing their views." Responding, Gale told Corbyn: "I thank the right honourable gentleman for his point of order. "I'm afraid that his request is simply, in procedural terms, not possible. "The chair is not responsible for the selection or the grouping of motions such as this. "The motion is and will be put to the House as it is on the order paper." READ MORE: Plane damaged by Palestine Action flying over Scotland Commenting, Palestine Action said on Twitter/X: "Jeremy Corbyn's request to vote on the proscription of Palestine Action separately to two neo-Nazi groups, one of which is the 'Maniacs Murder Cult', was rejected. "This is a stitch up to try and force through the first proscription of a domestic direct action protest group." Jeremy Corbyn's request to vote on the proscription of Palestine Action separately to two neo-Nazi groups, one of which is the 'Maniacs Murder Cult', was rejected. This is a stitch up to try and force through the first proscription of a domestic direct action protest group. — Palestine Action (@Pal_action) July 2, 2025 The Independent Alliance – a group of Independent MPs, which Corbyn is a member of – released a statement ahead of the debate, arguing that the Labour Government's use of the Terrorism Act is "an outrageous clampdown on civil disobedience" and is "an assault on the democratic rights of us all". The statement said: "We unequivocally oppose the proscription of Palestine Action. "Yesterday, at least 24 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a crowded seaside café in Gaza. Among those killed were women, children and the elderly. "Still, our Government allows the supply of arms to Israel. The real crime is the Government's complicity in genocide – and the proscription of Palestine Action is a shameful attempt to silence dissent. READ MORE: Ryanair cancels more than 800 flights due to conflict in the Middle East "The use of the Terrorism Act is an outrageous clampdown on civil disobedience. We implore MPs to recognise this gross misuse of state power for what it is: an assault on the democratic rights of us all. "Moreover, we are appalled by the government's cynical move to bundle Palestine Action in with foreign neo-Nazi organisations, as part of one piece of legislation. This represents a transparent ploy by the government to coerce MPs into supporting its authoritarian crackdown on Palestinian solidarity." The statement added: "Today, we look back and celebrate those who protested for the freedoms we enjoy today. Years from now, we will look back and commend those who stood on the right side of history. "The Government will not succeed in shielding itself from accountability. We will continue to demand an end to the UK's military cooperation with Israel. We will continue in our search for truth and justice. And we will continue to campaign for the only path to peace: an end to the occupation of Palestine." The debate is expected at around 5.30pm, with a vote taking place after.
