UK Plans Ban on Palestine Action Over Military Base Attack

The UK government has announced plans to ban the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws after members vandalized two Royal Air Force planes at the Brize Norton military base. The ban would criminalize membership or support of the group, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison, placing Palestine Action alongside groups like Hamas and al-Qaeda under British law. The group has a history of targeting British sites linked to Israel, including an attack on a defense factory and a protest at a golf resort owned by U.S. President Donald Trump. Officials, including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley, condemned the group's actions as extremist criminal activity, highlighting the significant damage caused and risks to national security. The government will introduce draft legislation to Parliament for approval, and police have already restricted Palestine Action's protests near Parliament amid ongoing investigations. The move reflects the UK’s stringent approach to groups it deems a threat to national security due to involvement in or encouragement of terrorism.