US targets Palestine Action in counterterrorism effort against ’far-left’ groups

The United States government has officially designated the Palestine Action group as a terrorist organization, as part of President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to target left-wing groups in their counterterrorism initiatives. This move follows a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a conference with over 60 countries, where he called for a shift in focus towards addressing "far-left terror."

The designation comes after Trump's campaign rhetoric in 2024, where he singled out far-left extremist groups like antifa, vowing to target them with economic sanctions. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on an Italy-based entity accused of supporting antifa and other far-left groups, as well as on Masar Badil, a transnational group linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Palestinian group Palestine Action, which has targeted Israeli defense companies in Britain, condemned the move, arguing that it targets free speech and civil liberties. The British government is currently reviewing the legality of its own decision to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organization.