UK government defends Palestine Action ban in Supreme Court

In a legal showdown at the UK Supreme Court, government counsel argued before the highest court that banning the Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization is justified. The decision came after the group was proscribed in July 2025 following damage caused by protests at a UK military site and defence contractors. Co-founder Huda Ammori is challenging the ban at the Supreme Court, having already won a High Court appeal.

The government lawyer insisted Palestine Action was not a transparent non-violent protest group, nor part of a tradition of civil disobedience. Instead, their activities were planned secretly to avoid detection, and any damage to property, even without injuries, could be considered terrorism. Since the ban, around 4,200 individuals have been arrested for supporting Palestine Action, according to the Defend Our Juries campaign.

Lawyer James Eadie told the judges that Palestine Action is not a non-violent group, and their actions constitute serious property damage. The Home Office lawyer argued that no other measure could be as effective as proscription. Two UK Jewish groups submitted legal support for the government's ban, citing the Jewish community's vulnerability to Palestine Action's activities.

However, Ammori's lawyer, Raza Husain, denied accusations of antisemitism, stating that Palestine Action has never targeted Jewish people or businesses. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver a decision at a later date.