Palestine Action clashes with police after government 'bans' them under anti-terror laws

23 June 2025, 13:43 | Updated: 23 June 2025, 17:04

Palestine Action activists have clashed with police in ugly scenes during a mass protest in London as the Government moves to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation.

Hundreds of protesters waving Palestinian flags and holding placards gathered at Trafalgar Square as the group's leaders called for an "emergency mobilisation" in response to the Government's plans.

The Palestine Action protest comes just days after two of its members broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said banning the activist group was a "legitimate response to the threat they pose."

It means support or being a member of the organisation will become illegal - as activists gathered in Trafalgar Square on Monday with supporters seen clashing with police.

Ms Cooper described the attack on the air base as "disgraceful" and the "latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action."

She added: "Since its inception in 2020, Palestine Action has orchestrated a nationwide campaign of direct criminal action against businesses and institutions, including key national infrastructure and defence firms that provide services and supplies to support Ukraine, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), “Five Eyes” allies and the UK defence enterprise.

Read more: Costs of damage from Palestine Action attacks at RAF Brize Norton will total 'at least £30million'

Read more: Cambridge University colleges seek injunctions against pro-Palestine activists

"Its activity has increased in frequency and severity since the start of 2024 and its methods have become more aggressive, with its members demonstrating a willingness to use violence".

Ms Cooper also said Palestine Action was responsible for causing "serious damage" to several properties, which "runs into millions of pounds", and for causing harm to innocent members of the public "fleeing for safety and subjected to violence."

She said she had proscribed the group in part to protect those seeking to protest peacefully.

"It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the UK’s foreign policy, can continue to do so. The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Should Parliament vote to proscribe, that right will be unaffected," Ms Cooper said.

It comes after a counter-terror investigation was launched after two activists from Palestine Action broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged military aircraft in a high-profile security breach at the UK’s largest airbase last week.

Video footage posted online shows the pair riding electric scooters across the runway before targeting two Airbus Voyager aircraft – spraying red paint into their engines using repurposed fire extinguishers. Crowbars were also used to cause further damage to the planes.

The group says it was a direct intervention to halt British support for Israel, claiming the UK is “an active participant” in what it calls “genocide” in Gaza.

Palestine Action has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising US President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire.

Palestine Action explains reason behind RAF base break-in

But Baroness Shami Chakrabarti told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday that plans to ban the group would mark a very serious step.

The former shadow attorney general said: “From what I can tell, this is a militant protest group that engages in direct action and that includes criminality, no question, but to elevate that to terrorism so anybody who attends a meeting, or who promotes the organisation, or is loosely affiliated with it, is branded a terrorist – that is a serious escalation I think.”

Proscription will require Ms Cooper to lay an order in Parliament, which must then be debated and approved by both MPs and peers.

Some 81 organisations have been proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and al Qaida, far-right groups such as National Action, and Russian private military company the Wagner Group.

Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Home Secretary's full statement below

"I have decided to proscribe Palestine Action under section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

"A draft proscription order will be laid in Parliament on Monday 30 June. If passed, it will make it illegal to be a member of, or invite support for, Palestine Action.

"This decision is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East.

"The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton in the early hours of the morning on Friday 20 June is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action. The UK’s defence enterprise is vital to the nation’s national security and this Government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk. Counter Terrorism Policing are leading the criminal investigation into this attack. It is important that this process is free from interference and the police are allowed to carry out their important work gathering evidence and working to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"Since its inception in 2020, Palestine Action has orchestrated a nationwide campaign of direct criminal action against businesses and institutions, including key national infrastructure and defence firms that provide services and supplies to support Ukraine, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), “Five Eyes” allies and the UK defence enterprise. Its activity has increased in frequency and severity since the start of 2024 and its methods have become more aggressive, with its members demonstrating a willingness to use violence.

"Palestine Action has also broadened its targets from the defence industry to include financial firms, charities, universities and government buildings. Its activities meet the threshold set out in the statutory tests established under the Terrorism Act 2000. This has been assessed through a robust evidence-based process, by a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the Security Services.

"In several attacks, Palestine Action has committed acts of serious damage to property with the aim of progressing its political cause and influencing the Government. These include attacks at Thales in Glasgow in 2022; and last year at Instro Precision in Kent and Elbit Systems UK in Bristol.

"The seriousness of these attacks includes the extent and nature of damage caused, including to targets affecting UK national security, and the impact on innocent members of the public fleeing for safety and subjected to violence. The extent of damage across these three attacks alone, spreading the length and breadth of the UK, runs into the millions of pounds.

"During Palestine Action’s attack against the Thales defence factory in Glasgow in 2022, the group caused over a million pounds of damage including to parts essential to submarines. The Sherif, in passing custodial sentences for the attackers’ violent crimes, spoke of the panic among staff who feared for their safety as pyrotechnics and smoke bombs were thrown in the area where they were evacuating.

"He further recorded the extent of damage to legitimate business activities which included “matters of nationwide security” and disputed the group’s claims its actions were non-violent. The attacks at Elbit Systems in Bristol and Instro Precision in Kent remain sub judice. To avoid prejudicing future criminal trials the Government will not comment on the specifics of these incidents.

"Palestine Action has provided practical advice to assist its members with conducting attacks that have resulted in serious damage to property. In late 2023, Palestine Action released “The Underground Manual”. The document encourages the creation of cells; provides practical guidance on how to carry out activity against private companies and government buildings on behalf of Palestine Action; and provides a link to a website which contains a map of specific targets across the UK. The manual encourages members to undertake operational security measures to protect the covert nature of their activity.

"Through its media output, Palestine Action publicises and promotes its attacks involving serious property damage, as well as celebrating the perpetrators.

"Palestine Action’s online presence has enabled the organisation to galvanise support, recruit and train members across the UK to take part in criminal activity and raise considerable funds through online donations. The group has a footprint in all 45 policing regions in the UK and has pledged to escalate its campaign.

"It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the UK’s foreign policy, can continue to do so. The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Should Parliament vote to proscribe, that right will be unaffected.

"What it will do is to enable law enforcement to effectively disrupt the escalating actions of this serious group. Only last month Palestine Action claimed responsibility for an attack against a Jewish-owned business in North London, where the glass-front of the building was smashed and the building and floor defaced with red-paint including the slogan “drop Elbit”. Such incidents do not represent legitimate or peaceful protest. Regardless of whether this incident itself amounts to terrorism, such activity is clearly intimidatory and unacceptable. It is one that has been repeated many times by this organisation at sites the length and breadth of the UK.

"I have considered carefully the nature and scale of Palestine Action’s activity. Proscription represents a legitimate response to the threat posed by Palestine Action. The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, which is the foundation of our Plan for Change.

"Given significant public concern over recent activities by this group, including the incident in Brize Norton last week, and balancing the relevant considerations, I have decided to confirm this decision to proscribe to the House in advance of laying the relevant order."