Palestine Action has been given the green light to proceed with a legal challenge against the Government’s decision to prohibit the group under anti-terrorism legislation, as per the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal.
In a significant development today, the Home Office’s attempt to block the challenge was unsuccessful, setting the stage for a thorough review of the ban by a High Court judge scheduled for next month.
The ban, implemented on July 5, criminalized membership in or support for the direct action group, carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. This categorized Palestine Action alongside organizations like Islamic State and the neo-Nazi group National Action.
Reportedly, over 2,000 individuals have been apprehended for allegedly backing the group post the enforcement of the ban, according to the campaign group Defend Our Juries.
Huda Ammori, co-founder of the group, initiated legal proceedings against the former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws.
Government ministers attempted to impede the judicial review process, contending that there was a specific protocol for challenging banning orders.
However, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr dismissed the Home Office’s efforts to block the review, emphasizing that the judicial review route would provide a quicker avenue to contest the proscription of Palestine Action compared to seeking deproscription.
In response to the ruling, Ms. Ammori expressed satisfaction, stating that the Court of Appeal had rightly rejected the attempt to block the legal review of the authoritarian ban while offering additional grounds for challenge. She hailed it as a landmark victory for civil liberties and governmental accountability.
The Home Office acknowledged the Court of Appeal’s decision and indicated that they would carefully assess the implications of the ruling. They highlighted the actions of Palestine Action, emphasizing criminal damage, threats to national security infrastructure, alleged violence, and injuries. The Home Office reiterated that Palestine Action remains a proscribed group, warning that supporters would face legal consequences, emphasizing the distinction between backing Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist organization.