Palestine Action: Why has it been banned in the UK?

Earlier this month, British politicians voted to ban pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action, proscribing it as a terrorist organisation.

It is now a crime to be a member of Palestine Action that carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

RTÉ's London Correspondent Tommy Meskill takes a look at why the group has been banned.

In the early hours of Friday, 20 June, under the cover of darkness, people belonging to the group Palestine Action broke into the British RAF base Brize Norton.

Video posted by the group later that day showed one of the intruders on an electric scooter, filming themselves spraying red paint on a military plane.

According to a statement from the group, members broke into the base because "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets".

It prompted an investigation by counter terror police and widespread condemnation of their actions by political figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "disgraceful" and an "act of vandalism".

The incident also raised many questions around how people could breach the perimeter fence of the base.

It was subsequently claimed that £7 million worth of damage was caused to two Voyager aircraft.

Last week four people were remanded in custody and charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interest of the UK.

They were 29-year-old Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 24-year-old Jony Cink, 35-year-old Daniel Jeronymides-Norie and 22-year-old Lewie Chiaramello.

Prohibited group

Palestine Action describes itself as "a pro-Palestinian organisation which disrupts the arms industry in the United Kingdom with direct action".

It says that it is "committed to ending global participation in Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime".

The group was formed in 2020.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was quick to announce to parliament that she would proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group after the incident at RAF Brize Norton.

Announcing her decision, she said that there was a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action".

The proscription of the group was approved by the UK parliament, 385 to 26, meaning that membership or support of the group could result in a jail sentence of up to 14 years.

Other proscribed international groups include al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hezbollah and the so-called Islamic State (ISIS).

The IRA and UVF are among proscribed groups linked to Northern Ireland.

An appeal of that decision to proscribe Palestine Action was held last Friday but failed. Another appeal is due to be heard in the High Court later this month.

Protests

On Saturday, 5 July protests were held in London against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group.

There were 29 arrests.

Among those arrested, was 83-year-old retired priest, Reverend Sue Parfitt.

During the protest she could be seen sitting in a camp chair holding one of the many signs that read, 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action'.

As she was led away by police, she described the ban of Palestine Action as "total nonsense" and a "loss of civil liberties in this country".

In a statement that day, Metropolitan Police said that officers were "responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action".

"The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence."

In a letter to the Home Secretary, the group said that they "do not wish to go to prison or to be branded with a terrorism conviction, but we refuse to be cowed into silence by your order."

Those arrested have since been released on bail as police make further inquiries.

Reaction

The sight of Sue Parfitt, a long-time activist, being arrested prompted many questions around whether the policing of the protest was heavy-handed.

Asked by the BBC the following morning if the arrests were a good use of police time, Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley said that "the law doesn't have an age limit, whether you're 18 or 80".

He added, that "if you're supporting proscribed organisations, then the law is going to be enforced.

"Officers, you could see, did it with great care and tried to preserve that person's dignity, but they're breaking a serious law."

Mr Rowley also said that Palestine Action have been involved in "some really serious criminal offences" that pre-date what happened at RAF Brize Norton.

Further protests

Supporters of Palestine Action have indicated that there will be further protests in opposition to the decision to ban the group.

Demonstrations are due to take place across a number of cities including London, Cardiff and Derry.

Opponents of the UK government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group describe it as a dangerous overreach, curtailing people’s right to free speech.

Many would also point out that recent coverage of the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group, and the subsequent protests against such a decision that have followed, only serve to raise the profile of the group.

The same argument has been made in relation to Kneecap band member, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who was charged with a terrorist offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig.

He is due before Westminster Magistrates' Court again on 20 August.

A judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action is due to take play on 21 July 21.

The human rights lawyer, Gareth Peirce, who is part of Mr Ó hAnnaidh’s legal team, is also expected to be part of the team arguing against the proscription.

Ms Peirce was the solicitor for Gerry Conlon and the Guildford Four and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during his fight against US extradition.

The proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation may have been intended to diminish the notoriety of the group.

However, with further protests planned and a court challenge to the decision later this month, debate around Palestine Action will likely continue for sometime to come.