US designates UK-based Palestine Action as foreign ‘terrorist group’

On Wednesday, the United States designated the UK-based Palestine Action group as a "specially designated global terrorist" organization and imposed sanctions against it. The move comes after the UK government banned Palestine Action, which has led to thousands of arrests. Established in 2020, Palestine Action's stated goal is to end global participation in Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime.

The organization gained prominence following Israel's military campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attack by fighters from the Palestinian group Hamas in southern Israel.

Rights groups have criticized the UK ban, arguing it aims to criminalize dissent. The US action follows a pattern of designating far-left groups as terrorist organizations under President Donald Trump's administration. US State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggot described Palestine Action and two other groups as "violent far-left terrorist groups," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to Autistici/Inventati as a major far-left tech collective used by Antifa cells.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to use all economic tools to cut the financial lifelines of the designated groups until they are eliminated. Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori called the UK ban and US terror designation a wake-up call for those who value free speech and civil liberties. She emphasized that the organization's activities are focused on disrupting the Israeli war machine, which is committing genocide in Gaza with US support.