Acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney has ignited a fierce political and legal debate after publicly pledging to continue supporting Palestine Action, a group recently declared a terrorist organisation by the United Kingdom. Rooney, best known for her bestselling novels Normal People and Intermezzo, made her intentions clear in an op-ed published in the Irish Times on August 16, 2025. There, she announced she would use earnings from her UK book sales and royalties from BBC adaptations of her work to fund Palestine Action and what she described as “direct action against genocide.”
Rooney’s declaration comes at a time of heightened tension in the UK over pro-Palestinian activism. The UK government, under Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, added Palestine Action to its list of proscribed organisations under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025. The move followed a series of high-profile protests and direct actions by the group, including a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in June that caused £7 million in damage to two Voyager aircraft. The government cited escalating violent activities and a willingness to use force as justifications for the ban.
In her Irish Times article, Rooney was unflinching: “My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets. In recent years the UK’s state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees. I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can. If the British state considers this ‘terrorism’, then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WHSmith and the BBC.”
Rooney’s remarks have sparked outrage and support in equal measure. According to the BBC, she had already warned in June that proscribing Palestine Action would be “an alarming attack on free speech.” Now, with the ban in force, her open defiance of UK law is drawing sharp scrutiny. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, membership, fundraising, or even inviting support for a proscribed group can carry a prison sentence of up to 14 years. Displaying support items—like flags or placards—could result in six months’ imprisonment or a fine.
Palestine Action, founded in 2020, is known for its direct action campaigns targeting arms factories and companies supplying equipment to Israel. The group’s tactics have included occupying industrial sites and staging high-profile protests, actions that have drawn both condemnation and praise. The UK government’s decision to proscribe the group was approved by both Houses of Parliament, with officials insisting that Palestine Action’s activities went far beyond “occasional stunts.” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the move, stating it was necessary to protect public safety.
The legal and political fallout from the ban has been swift. More than 700 people have been arrested since the proscription came into force, including hundreds who participated in a Parliament Square demonstration on August 9, 2025. Protesters held placards reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” The Metropolitan Police announced further prosecutions for 60 individuals linked to a protest on July 5, and Norfolk Police reported 13 arrests at a demonstration in Norwich in August. Organisers have even called for a coordinated protest involving at least 1,000 participants, openly challenging authorities to see if mass arrests could be carried out.
Rooney’s support for Palestine Action has not gone unnoticed by the legal system. She was referenced during a High Court hearing last month when Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, sought to block the group’s proscription. Blinne Ni Ghralaigh KC, representing Ammori, told the court the ban would create “far-reaching” harm and force people to “self-censor.” Ni Ghralaigh added that Rooney “fears the ramifications for her, for her work, for her books, for her programmes” if she continues to support the group. The court has since granted Ammori permission to legally challenge the government’s decision, a case that could set a significant precedent for civil liberties in the UK.
Civil liberties campaigners and some United Nations human rights experts have sharply criticised the ban, warning that it risks curbing free expression and peaceful protest. Sir Jonathon Porritt, a former environmental adviser to the King, described the proscription as “absolutely standard authoritarian tactics.” Critics argue that the move represents one of the most significant restrictions on protest in recent British history, with potential chilling effects for artists, writers, and activists.
Rooney’s stance is deeply rooted in her history of pro-Palestinian activism. In 2021, she declined a Hebrew translation deal for her novel Beautiful World, Where Are You with the Israeli publisher Modan, citing support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. Throughout 2024 and 2025, she has joined other artists in supporting cultural boycotts of Israeli institutions. Yet her latest declaration, involving direct financial support to a proscribed organisation, marks a new and riskier chapter in her activism—one that places her in direct conflict with UK law.
Rooney herself has acknowledged the legal peril she faces. “To ensure the British public is made aware of my position, I would happily publish this statement in a UK newspaper – but that would now be illegal,” she wrote. She has also challenged the British state directly, saying, “If this makes me a supporter of terror under UK law, so be it.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s cultural sector is left in an awkward position. Rooney’s books remain widely available in British bookshops and supermarkets, and the BBC continues to pay her residuals for adaptations of her novels—most notably the hit series Normal People and Conversations With Friends. Her British publisher, Faber & Faber, has so far declined to comment.
As the legal battle over the proscription of Palestine Action unfolds, the case is quickly becoming a touchstone for broader debates over protest, free expression, and the limits of state power. For Sally Rooney, the stakes are personal and political. She appears determined to use her platform—and her earnings—to make her voice heard, regardless of the consequences. Whether this defiance will lead to prosecution or inspire further activism remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the intersection of literature, law, and protest in the UK has rarely felt so charged.
