UK Defends Palestine Action Ban as Terrorism Proscription

The government has defended its decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, while thousands of protesters have gathered in central London over the weekend to challenge the ban. Police said 532 people were arrested during a Parliament Square demonstration for displaying placards in support of the group, the largest wave of arrests under the Terrorism Act in relation to the ban to date. The Home Office says the group was involved in violent attacks and major criminal damage against national security infrastructure, and insists the proscription was based on strong security assessments.

Officials emphasise that membership in, or support for, Palestine Action is now a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The group had claimed responsibility for substantial damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton, and the government notes that its activities extended to alleged assaults against staff and property damage linked to national security facilities. In response, the prime minister and home secretary have stressed that the ban is a tightly targeted measure designed to curb actions that threaten public safety, and they say law enforcement is acting in accordance...