The UK Supreme Court ruled on Friday that last year's government decision to designate the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was unlawful. The judges found that restrictions imposed on activists promoting the Palestinian cause through direct actions were disproportionate and violated freedom of speech. Although the ruling represents a prestigious defeat for Keir Starmer's cabinet, the ban will remain in effect pending the government's announced appeal.

Government decision was unlawful

The court found that the ministry made significant errors by designating Palestine Action as a terrorist group in July 2025.

Violation of freedom of speech

The judges ruled that the proscription was disproportionate and undermined the foundations of democratic dissent and freedom of expression.

Awaiting appeal

The government of Keir Starmer announced an appeal; until then, the ban remains in force, although its legal basis has been undermined.

The British judiciary has dealt a serious blow to the security policy of the Labour government. The High Court in London found that listing Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July 2025 was an unlawful act. In their reasoning, the judges emphasized that while some members of the group committed prohibited acts, the entire organization does not meet the statutory criteria for terrorism. This decision undermines the legal basis for over 2,500 arrests made in recent months against supporters of the movement. The judges indicated that equating a group using direct actions against weapons factories with entities such as Islamic State or Al-Qaeda was a legal error. The ruling resulted from a complaint filed by Huda Ammori, the co-founder of the organization. The court noted that the government has other legal tools to prosecute vandalism or trespassing on defense industry sites, and applying the Terrorism Act 2000 in this case was an abuse of power. Since 2020, Palestine Action has been campaigning against arms companies supplying components to Israel, conducting blockades and damaging property at factories such as Elbit Systems. Despite the favorable ruling for activists, the Home Office immediately announced an appeal. Until its resolution, scheduled after a hearing set for February 20, the organization remains formally banned. Experts point out that this case is crucial for defining political dissent in the United Kingdom and may force the government to revise how the concept of terrorism is interpreted in the context of radical social protests. „This is a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms in the UK and for the struggle for justice in Palestine.” — Huda Ammori 2500 — people arrested for supporting this group [{"dataISO": "2025-07-05", "data": "July 5, 2025", "tytul": "Ban Introduced", "opis": "The UK Home Office lists Palestine Action as a terrorist organization."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-13T10:00", "data": "February 13, 10:00", "tytul": "High Court Ruling", "opis": "The court declares the group's proscription illegal and disproportionate."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-20", "data": "February 20, 2026", "tytul": "Next Hearing", "opis": "Date set to determine conditions for the ban's continued enforcement pending appeal."}]

Mentioned People

  • Keir Starmer — Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, whose government introduced the controversial ban on the group's activities.
  • Huda Ammori — Co-founder of Palestine Action, who filed a successful appeal to the court.
  • Shabana Mahmood — UK Justice Minister announcing a legal battle to maintain the ban.