UK Court to Rule on Ban of Pro-Palestinian Group

LONDON — London’s High Court will rule on Monday in a long‑running legal battle over the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action, a direct‑action group that has drawn thousands of arrests including students and an 83‑year‑old retired vicar since the prohibition took effect.

The ban, imposed on July 5, 2025, made membership in or support for the group a criminal offense under terrorism legislation, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The proscription placed Palestine Action on the same government blacklist as Palestinian militants Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Around 3,000 people have been arrested under the ban.

Palestine Action, founded in 2020, has primarily targeted weapons factories in the UK linked to the Israel‑based defense firm Elbit. The group says its goal is to end “global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime.” Its website is now blocked to UK internet users.

The group challenged the ban in court, arguing it was “disproportionate” and had a “very significant” impact on human rights. In February, the High Court ruled in Palestine Action’s favor. However, the government appealed. Monday’s ruling will settle the case, determining whether ministers overstepped their powers.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended the ban, saying supporters were unaware of the “full nature” of the organization. “It’s really important that no‑one is in any doubt that this is not a non‑violent organization,” she said last year.

The ruling comes days after a judge sentenced four activists to between four years and eight months and seven years and eight months in prison for raiding an Elbit site near Bristol in August 2024, causing over £1 million in damage. One activist struck a police officer with a sledgehammer, fracturing her spine. Police arrested about 125 supporters who demonstrated outside the court.

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