On November 27, 2025, acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney stood before the UK High Court and delivered a warning that sent ripples through the literary world: her books, including bestsellers like Normal People and Conversations With Friends, could soon vanish from British shelves. The cause? The UK government’s July proscription of Palestine Action, a direct-action protest group, under anti-terrorism laws. Rooney’s public support for the group, and her intention to donate earnings from her works to them, has left her facing an unprecedented legal quandary—one that may bar the publication of any new works in the UK and even force the withdrawal of her existing titles.
Rooney’s testimony, made public on the second day of a high-profile legal challenge to the ban, underscored the far-reaching consequences of the government’s decision. The ban, which makes membership in or support for Palestine Action a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison, has not only targeted activists but has also ensnared artists and writers who have expressed solidarity with the group. “It is … almost certain that I can no longer publish or produce any new work within the UK while this proscription remains in effect,” Rooney wrote in her witness statement, as reported by The Guardian. “If Palestine Action is still proscribed by the time my next book is due for publication, then that book will be available to readers all over the world and in dozens of languages, but will be unavailable to readers in the United Kingdom simply because no one will be permitted to publish it (unless I am content to give it away for free).”
Rooney’s predicament is rooted in her decision to direct proceeds from her books and their television adaptations to Palestine Action—a group she describes as “courageous and admirable,” committed to stopping what it views as crimes against humanity by Israel in Gaza. This stance, however, has triggered warnings from legal advisers and her business partners. According to Sky News, the producer of the BBC adaptations of Rooney’s novels, Element Pictures, told her agent in September that paying her royalties could constitute a criminal act under the new anti-terror laws. The legal uncertainty has also extended to her publisher, Faber & Faber, which may be barred from paying her royalties at all.
“If, therefore, Faber and Faber Limited are legally prohibited from paying me the royalties I am owed, my existing works may have to be withdrawn from sale and would therefore no longer be available to readers in the UK,” Rooney explained in her statement. She called this possibility “a truly extreme incursion by the state into the realm of artistic expression.” For Rooney, the implications are not just personal or financial—they strike at the heart of freedom of expression and the accessibility of literature in Britain.
The ban’s impact has already been felt beyond the publishing industry. Since Palestine Action was proscribed in July 2025, more than 2,000 people have been arrested for holding signs expressing support for the group, including more than 100 individuals detained outside the High Court on November 26, according to police figures cited by Reuters and The Guardian. The legal challenge to the ban, brought by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, has become a focal point for broader concerns about civil liberties and the boundaries of protest in the UK.
Rooney’s situation was held up in court as a vivid example of the ban’s chilling effect on artistic and political expression. Adam Straw KC, representing Ben Saul, the UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism, argued that the proscription represented an unlawful interference under international law. “There is a consensus, or emerging consensus, that this proscription was an unlawful interference in international law. There is also a consensus, or emerging consensus, that the definition of terrorism does not extend to serious damage to property,” Straw submitted, referencing actions such as Palestine Action’s spray-painting of Royal Air Force planes as cited in the government’s justification for the ban.
The government, however, has defended its stance vigorously. Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, stated in written submissions that the ban’s aim is “stifling organisations concerned in terrorism and for members of the public to face criminal liability for joining or supporting such organisations.” He emphasized that “Parliament has decided what terrorism is, which includes serious damage to property, whether or not alongside it there is violence against people.” The government’s position is clear: by broadening the definition of terrorism to include acts of property damage, it seeks to cut off both the “oxygen of publicity” and the financial lifeblood of groups like Palestine Action.
For Rooney, the stakes are both symbolic and practical. She has already canceled a trip to the UK to collect a literary award, citing fears of arrest. The uncertainty surrounding the payment of royalties has left her unable to plan for future projects in Britain. “If I were to write another screenplay, television show or similar creative work, I would not be able to have it produced or distributed by a company based in England and Wales without, expressly or tacitly, accepting that I would not be paid,” she explained in her testimony, as reported by Anadolu Agency. The possibility of having to give her work away for free, or not at all, to UK readers is a stark one for an author whose novels have been among the country’s bestsellers over the past decade.
Rooney’s support for Palestine Action is unwavering. She described the group’s actions as “dedicated to preventing crimes against humanity by Israel,” referencing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to Anadolu Agency, nearly 70,000 people—mostly women and children—have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with over 170,000 injured. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials in November 2024 over alleged war crimes, adding further context to Rooney’s solidarity with Palestinian activists.
Yet, as the High Court hearing drew toward its scheduled conclusion on December 2, 2025, the outcome for Rooney and other supporters of Palestine Action remained unclear. The court’s decision, expected in writing at a later date, will not only determine the fate of one of the English-speaking world’s most prominent novelists but will also set a precedent for how far the state can go in policing the intersection of artistic expression, political activism, and anti-terrorism law.
For now, British readers face the prospect that future works by Sally Rooney—celebrated for their insight into love, class, and the complexities of modern relationships—may simply not be available in their own country. It’s a scenario that few could have imagined just a year ago, and one that has ignited urgent debate about the balance between national security and the freedom to write, publish, and protest.
