The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Home Secretary's decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act was lawful, overturning a previous High Court judgment. A five-judge panel, including the Lady Chief Justice, Sue Carr, and the Master of the Rolls, Geoffrey Vos, found that the High Court had 'materially understated' the discretion afforded to the Home Secretary in such matters.
In her written judgment, Lady Carr emphasised that the Home Secretary is best placed to assess future threats posed by the group, given expert advice on anti-terrorism. She stated that the severity of proscription's impact on freedom of expression and assembly was outweighed by the importance of protecting national security and the rights of others.
The ban, effective from 5 July last year, makes membership or support for Palestine Action punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Over 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with the group, many for displaying placards reading 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action'. More than 700 individuals face charges under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, with their cases paused pending this appeal.
Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action who challenged the ban, vowed to continue the legal fight. 'We will seek permission to appeal to the Supreme Court and, if necessary, take this to the European Court of Human Rights,' she said. She described the proscription as 'one of the most extreme attacks on free speech and the right to protest in modern British history'.
Reacting to the judgment, organisations including Liberty, Amnesty International UK, and Greenpeace criticised what they termed a misuse of counter-terrorism powers. The Metropolitan Police reported arresting 117 people outside the court on Monday for suspected support of a proscribed organisation.
