In a ruling that comes just a week after a jury failed to convict six Palestine Action members accused of crimes, a three-judge panel at the UK’s High Court has ruled that the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 was unlawful, finding that the Home Secretary misapplied her own policy and acted disproportionately.
On human rights grounds, the court rejected claims that the group’s activities were protected civil disobedience. However, it concluded that proscription created a “very significant interference” with freedom of speech and assembly by criminalising peaceful support conducted under the group’s name. Given the limited number of activities meeting the terrorism definition, the ban was deemed disproportionate.
The ban remains in force pending appeals of this ruling, meaning support and membership are still criminal acts.
