UK-based Palestine Action labelled a ‘terrorist’ organisation by Trump administration

On August 27, the United States designated the UK-based Palestine Action group as a "terrorist" organization, intensifying its crackdown on leftist movements. This move comes as part of President Donald Trump's strategy to label "far-left" entities as terrorist organizations upon his return to office for a second term. The US State Department described Palestine Action, along with Italy's Autistici/Inventati and the pro-Palestinian group Masar Badil, as "violent far-left terrorist groups."

The designation stems from the UK government's ban on Palestine Action, which has sparked thousands of arrests and drawn criticism from rights groups who argue it aims to suppress dissent. The group's website explicitly states its goal of ending "global participation in Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime." Following Israel's intense military campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Palestine Action gained prominence.

Palestine Action's co-founder, Huda Ammori, condemned the US decision, stating it should serve as a warning to those concerned about free speech and civil liberties. Ammori emphasized that the group's activities in the US and elsewhere aim to save lives by disrupting Israel's war machine, which she claims is responsible for the ongoing genocide in Gaza with the US government's support.

Israel's Foreign Ministry welcomed the US decision, asserting that terrorist organizations have exploited Western civil society to mask violent operations, radicalize youth, and funnel illicit funds. The designation of Autistici/Inventati as a "major far-left tech collective" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is noteworthy, as the group's technology services have reportedly been utilized by the most active and violent Antifa cells in the US and worldwide.

Rubio vowed that "there will be no refuge for violent extremists who wage war on our civilization and plot to undermine law and order, destroy critical infrastructure, assault political opponents, or conspire to conceal their crimes from authorities." Additionally, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington would employ all available economic tools to cut the financial resources of far-left groups until their elimination.