In the United Kingdom, courts ruled that the British government's ban on the militant group Palestine Action, classified as terrorist in July, was "disproportionate" and infringed on freedom of expression. The government appealed.

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 12:20

British justice ruled on Friday February 13 that the government's ban on the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action in 2025 was "disproportionate", vindicating its supporters, arrested by the hundreds during demonstrations.

The ban on the movement, classified as terrorist last July, however, remains in force for the moment.

The Interior Ministry immediately announced its intention to appeal.

Also read: What is Palestine Action, the pro-Palestinian movement banned in the United Kingdom?

The decision to classify this group as terrorist and ban it, taken in July 2025, "resulted in a very substantial attack on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly", judge Victoria Sharp said while reading a summary of the decision in London.

She added, however, that the ban on the movement remained in effect until further notice, and gave both parties until February 20 to submit new legal arguments.

When the decision was announced, dozens of Palestine Action supporters burst into joy outside the court. “We won,” Huda Ammori, the founder of the organization, rejoiced on X.

Setback for Keir Starmer

This judgment is a setback for the Labor government of Keir Starmer, whose decision had been strongly criticized by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Council of Europe.

The Labor executive had classified Palestine Action as terrorist - in the same way as Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah or the Irish Republican Army (IRA) - shortly after an intrusion and acts of vandalism on a British air force base, which it claimed was undermining national security.

“The nature and extent of Palestine Action's activities falling within the definition of terrorism did not reach the level, scale and persistence justifying a ban,” the judge ruled.

Nearly 3,000 people, some aged over 80, have been arrested and hundreds more charged for showing support for Palestine Action during demonstrations since July.

With AFP

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.