The government can’t afford to back down: Palestine Action should be banned without hesitation
Last week’s announcement by the Home Secretary that she intended to proscribe Palestine Action appears to have had little deterring effect.
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The group has since announced their intention to appeal the decision, and even began on an online fundraiser to cover anticipated legal costs.
This decision follows Palestine Action activists breaking into RAF Brize Norton and vandalising a number of planes on the runway.
Such activities are far from new, though. Palestine Action was established in 2020, and one of its founders – Richard Barnard – was charged with alleged offences under the Terrorism and Serious Crime Acts in 2024.
In the same year, another co-founder, Huda Ammori, posted on her Twitter account a clip taken on the roof of the Israeli military technology company, Elbit, where activists have continuously attempted to cause criminal damage and vandalise its facilities in the UK.
One of the reasons for the overwhelming support in Palestine after the brutal terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7th is the belief of many of the supporters that the ‘Palestine problem’ is a one of the whole Muslim world.
This perception leads to global activism and solidarity, with Palestine Action receiving support from a range of other groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and CAGE International.
Palestine Action has not been operating as a lone wolf. But rather, Palestine Action receives support from other groups which operate relentlessly for Palestine, including Cage International and Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Fahad Ansari, the solicitor acting on behalf of Hamas as part of its bid to appeal its 2021 full proscription, is associated with CAGE International whose Research Director, Asim Qureshi, described Mohammed Emwazi who is better known as Islamic State’s “Jihadi John” as a “beautiful young man”.
In response to the recent Home Office announcement, Ansari tweeted: “Whatever may happen to Palestine Action, their legacy will live on. If anything, the level of direct action will significantly increase.
Great move Yvette”. In a separate tweet, he also challenged the last government’s decision to proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was announced in January 2024. In May 2025, CAGE International shared a statement about the French report on the Muslim Brotherhood. To their understanding, this report, which warns of risk to national cohesion, promotes islamophobia and conspiracy theories.
As the Home Office and Parliament prepare for proscription with a Commons vote today, so too are Palestine Action. Their protests against being banned have already begun, are likely to continue, and the group has now been granted a High Court hearing on Friday to try to prevent a banning order against it from coming into effect.
While proscription remains the most likely outcome, one thing is clear: the government must do more to protect society against these kinds of extremists, irrespective of which group they label themselves as members of.
Dr Amira Halperin is a Senior Research Fellow at the Britain Israel Communications Research Centre and member of the Dvorah Forum which promotes Israeli women in national security and foreign policy.
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