UK High Court Refuses Palestine Action Bid, Group Faces Terror Ban

The pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action has been officially banned as a terrorist organization under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000, following a High Court refusal to temporarily block the designation. The ban, approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, makes membership or support of the group a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison and covers acts including wearing the group's insignia. This move was prompted by an incident in which activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and caused about £7 million in damage to two Voyager aircraft, protesting the UK's military support for Israel in Gaza. Palestine Action's co-founder, Huda Ammori, challenged the ban in court, arguing the group engages in non-violent direct action inspired by historical civil disobedience movements, but the judge emphasized the group's intent to influence government policy. The group is now proscribed alongside organizations such as Hamas, al Qaeda, and ISIS, despite its claims of non-violent protest. A legal challenge against the ban is still pending, with a hearing expected later in July.