UK appeals court upholds terrorist designation of Palestine Action
Britain’s Court of Appeal ruled that the government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was lawful , reversing a February High Court ruling that had called the ban “unlawful and disproportionate.” The group was designated under the Terrorism Act 2000, which makes membership of or support for a proscribed organization a criminal offense.
The ruling reinstates the government’s power to treat the direct-action protest network as a terrorist group, meaning expressions of support can carry criminal liability. Critics have argued that applying counterterrorism law to a protest movement stretches the statute beyond its intent; the government has defended the move as a response to the group’s tactics. Supporters had protested outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London during the litigation.