A member of Palestine Action has labeled the UK government's plan to proscribe the group as "absurd." This follows a high-profile protest where activists infiltrated an air force base.
Saeed Taji Farouky, an activist, told the BBC that banning Palestine Action as a terrorist organization would "rip apart the very basic concepts of British democracy." He emphasized that such a move should alarm everyone.
The controversy stems from a protest at RAF Brize Norton on Friday, June 20, 2025, where two Palestine Action members sprayed red paint on military aircraft engines. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the act as "disgraceful."
Farouky described the proscription effort as a "knee-jerk reaction" being "rushed through." He asserted that Palestine Action's mission is to "break the material supply chain to genocide," escalating tactics due to the ongoing conflict.
Amnesty International UK expressed deep concern, stating that "terrorism powers should never have been used to aggravate criminal charges against Palestine Action activists and they certainly shouldn't be used to ban them."
Since the war in Gaza began, Palestine Action has targeted arms companies like Israel's Elbit Systems in the UK. Jonathan Hall, the UK's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, suggested the group has moved "beyond protest to blackmail."
Source: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605403/world