Politics1 min read

UK: Dozens arrested outside Supreme Court hearing on Palestine Action ban

By · Via Middle East Eye · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The UK Supreme Court is reviewing a final appeal brought by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori challenging the state's terrorist proscription. Defense counsel Raza Husain KC stressed that fewer than one percent of the group's actions fulfilled the statutory definition of terrorism and highlighted that the activists never advocated personal violence. The court heard that earlier activist arrests at Filton marked a critical escalation where members were unexpectedly detained under counter-terrorism powers. Outside the courthouse, police detained dozens of people protesting the official ban.

Key points

  • The legal team contended that proscribing the direct-action group as terrorists infringes…: The legal team contended that proscribing the direct-action group as terrorists infringes upon fundamental rights to protest and freedom of speech.
  • Activists maintained that the group has never advocated violence against individuals and…: Activists maintained that the group has never advocated violence against individuals and used tactics comparable to historical movements like the Suffragettes.
  • Counsel identified the arrests at Filton as a watershed moment when the state first subje…: Counsel identified the arrests at Filton as a watershed moment when the state first subjected the movement's activists to counter-terrorism measures.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Lawyers representing the co-founder of Palestine Action have argued that the direct-action group has never advocated for violence against individuals as the campaign to overturn its designation as a terrorist organisation by the UK government reached the Supreme Court.

Speaking on the first day of the two-day hearing, Raza Husain KC, representing Huda Ammori, opened proceedings and said that less than one percent of the group’s protests met the legal definition of terrorism.

"It’s not the label that's important – it’s the substance. Palestine Action has never advocated violence against individuals and follow a similar vein to the Suffragettes who were not peaceful... are part of the tradition [and] proven right by history and venerated.

“The uncontroverted evidence shows moreover that [the] Suffragettes, anti-war groups, environmental groups, animal rights protesters all used tactics similar to or more extreme than Palestine Action, yet they were not regarded as terrorists or proscribed,” said Husain.

The barrister noted that the Suffragettes are now widely celebrated despite using tactics like arson and bomb attacks in the cause of campaigning for the right to vote…

Politics