Palestine Action has been granted permission by the Court of Appeal to proceed with a legal challenge against the Government’s decision to outlaw the group using anti-terror legislation. This ruling comes after the Home Office’s attempt to block the challenge was unsuccessful, marking a significant development that sets the stage for a thorough review of the ban by a High Court judge in the upcoming month.
The ban, enforced on July 5, criminalized involvement with or backing of the direct action organization, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. This categorization placed Palestine Action alongside entities like Islamic State and the neo-Nazi group National Action.
Since the ban came into effect, over 2,000 individuals have been apprehended for allegedly supporting Palestine Action, as reported by the advocacy group Defend Our Juries.
Co-founder Huda Ammori initiated legal proceedings against the former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the group under anti-terror statutes.
Despite government ministers’ efforts to impede the judicial review process, arguing for a specific appeals procedure against banning orders, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr dismissed the Home Office’s move. She stated that a judicial review would offer a swifter method of contesting the proscription of Palestine Action compared to the process of deproscription.
In response to the ruling, Ms. Ammori expressed satisfaction, highlighting the importance of holding government officials accountable for their actions. She emphasized the significance of the court’s decision in challenging what she deemed an authoritarian restriction on civil liberties.
A Home Office spokesperson acknowledged the Court of Appeal’s decision and mentioned intentions to evaluate the implications of the ruling carefully. Emphasizing that Palestine Action remains a proscribed group, the spokesperson warned that supporters of the organization would face legal consequences, reiterating the distinction between supporting Palestine and endorsing a banned terrorist entity.