ProPal Removes Palestine Action from Terrorist List

There are ProPal judges in London too. The High Court has ruled that Palestine Action‘s decision to ban marches is illegal. Magistrates accepted two of the four reasons why, namely that there is “very significant interference” with the right to free speech, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association and that then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to ban action in Palestine was inconsistent with her policy. From 5 July last year, being a member of the group – or showing support – became an offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison under Britain’s counter-terrorism law. The ban on Palestine Action, which has been classified as Isis, was a first for a direct action protest group and sparked a civil disobedience campaign in the UK challenging the ban. Palestine Action continued to organize demonstrations during which more than 2,700 people were arrested. In the meantime she turned to the High Court, which today accepted part of the appeal. Current Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood has announced that she will appeal the decision.

The association’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, called it a “monumental victory.” “We have been banned Palestine Action raided an arms factory, Elbit Systems, and cost the company millions of pounds in profits,” he explained. “We have used the same tactics as direct action organizations throughout history, including the anti-war groups that Keir Starmer defended in court, and the government has recognized in these legal proceedings that this ban was based on property damage, not violence against people.” It is the first time that an organization banned under the anti-terrorism law has managed to challenge the proscription in court in a country where, at least so far, politics has never entered the courts.