By: The Trek News Desk
Huda Ammori, cofounder of the activist network Palestine Action, is set to launch a major legal challenge this week against the UK government’s decision to classify the group as a “terrorist organisation.” The move comes after the Court of Appeal ruled last month that the ban raised serious concerns about freedom of speech and the right to protest.
The judicial review begins on Wednesday, followed by additional hearings on Thursday and December 2.
Thousands Arrested Since July – Ban Could Be Overturned
If Ammori succeeds, the proscription, active since July 2024, could be removed.
More than 2,000 people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act simply for holding signs such as:
“I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”
Under the current law, being a member of or publicly supporting the group can lead to up to 14 years in prison.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government imposed the ban after two activists broke into the RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire in June and sprayed red paint on military aircraft allegedly linked to Israel’s assault on Gaza.
In another incident, activists entered the premises of Israeli defence giant Elbit Systems in Bristol and destroyed drones. Twenty-four people remain in custody in connection with that case.
“Absurd and Authoritarian,” Says Ammori
Speaking to the media, Ammori denounced the proscription as politically motivated and oppressive.
“This was never about public safety. It was about silencing dissent and shielding the Israeli weapons industry,” she said.
“The courts now have the chance to correct this injustice. And even if we don’t win, the fight will continue.”
Political Tensions Rise Around the Case
The group Defend Our Juries, which coordinates protests against mass arrests in the UK, called the ban “entirely political.”
Co-founder Lex Korte told reporters, “Protest movements exist because the government refuses to listen. The proscription is an attempt to turn peaceful resistance into a criminal act.”
International law experts, human rights organisations and thousands of demonstrators have accused the UK of aiding Israel’s military operations in Gaza, especially through F-35 jet components and surveillance flights over the Strip.
A First in British History: A Direct-Action Group Declared Terrorist
For the first time, a direct-action movement has been designated a terrorist organisation in the UK,
and for the first time, such a group has secured a judicial review.
Legal experts say the UK’s terrorism legislation, particularly the Terrorism Act 2000, is overly broad and includes non-violent property damage in its definition of terrorism.
Questions Over the UK’s Role in the Gaza War
London-based rights group Cage International criticised what it called the government’s “heavy-handed use of terrorism laws to crush direct action.”
Its report says Palestine Action’s campaigns from 2020 to 2025 reshaped Britain’s activist landscape, forcing temporary shutdowns of facilities connected to Israeli military supply chains.
Cage’s advocacy chief, Anas Mustapha, argues the ban backfired, “After two years of genocide in Gaza, the public is more aware than ever. People saw through the government’s attempt to criminalise dissent.”
High Court Ruling Could Have Global Repercussions
According to Defend Our Juries, judges must recognise the wider impact of their decision on the UK, on Palestinians, and on the international community.
Since October 2023, the war has caused staggering losses:
- 69,700+ Palestinians killed in Gaza
- 170,000+ injured
- 1,139 Israelis killed in the October 7 Hamas attack
- Despite a recent ceasefire, Israel has killed 300+ Palestinians and violated the truce hundreds of times.
Source: News Agencies
