The Metropolitan Police has announced it will stop arresting individuals for expressing support for Palestine Action, following a High Court ruling that the group's proscription was unlawful. The force acknowledged the 'unusual circumstances' and said officers would instead focus on gathering evidence for potential future enforcement.
The High Court ruled that the ban, imposed by former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in July last year, was a disproportionate interference with the right to freedom of expression and assembly. Dame Victoria Sharp found that while Palestine Action promotes its cause through criminality, proscription was still disproportionate. The ban remains in place pending a possible government appeal.
Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, described the ruling as a 'monumental victory' and called for Cooper's resignation. Current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed disappointment and said she would fight to prevent the proscription from being lifted. The Metropolitan Police said its new approach applies only to expressions of support for Palestine Action, and that it will continue to intervene in cases of intimidation, property damage, violence, or racial hatred.
The protest group Defend Our Juries reported that over 2,700 people had been arrested for holding signs supporting Palestine Action since the ban. Conservative MPs welcomed the government's intention to appeal, while Green and Liberal Democrat leaders criticised the original decision. The ruling has also affected other cases, with a senior judge postponing a plea hearing for four alleged pro-Palestine protesters.
