The UK Court of Appeal upheld the government's proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization on June 15, 2024 [1].

This ruling reverses a previous High Court decision that had found the ban unlawful. The decision increases the legal risks for members and supporters of the pro-Palestinian group, as membership in a proscribed organization is a criminal offense.

A panel of five senior judges [1] delivered the verdict in London. The government argued that the group meets the criteria for a terrorist organization and that many of its supporters were not fully aware of the group's nature. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, "Supporters of the group were unaware of the full nature of the organisation" [3].

Following the ruling, 117 people have been arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action [4]. Under the current laws, those found guilty of supporting a proscribed organization could face a maximum prison term of 14 years [5].

The legal battle began after the government first banned the group, a move the High Court initially blocked. The government appealed that decision to ensure the group's activities could be monitored and restricted under counter-terrorism legislation. The Court of Appeal found the government's original proscription was lawful [3].

Palestine Action has historically targeted companies that the group alleges are complicit in Israeli military actions. The current ruling allows the state to utilize more aggressive policing and prosecution tools against the organization's network.

“The Court of Appeal upheld the government's proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization.”

The ruling establishes a legal precedent for the UK government to designate activist groups as terrorist organizations even if their primary targets are corporate entities rather than state actors. By overturning the High Court's initial victory for Palestine Action, the judiciary has signaled a broader interpretation of terrorism laws, effectively criminalizing the support network of the group and providing the state with a legal mechanism to dismantle the organization through long-term imprisonment.