On Monday, June 23, 2025, the British government took a decisive step toward banning the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action, citing concerns over criminal damage and national security risks. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced plans to proscribe the organisation under anti-terrorism laws, a move that would make membership or support for the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The decision follows a series of direct actions by Palestine Action activists, including a high-profile incident last Friday at RAF Brize Norton, where two members broke into the military base and sprayed red paint into the engines of two British military planes.
Palestine Action, founded in 2020 by Huda Ammori and Richard Barnard, has gained notoriety for its militant protest tactics targeting companies and facilities in the UK with perceived links to Israel. Their activities have included occupying premises, vandalism, and criminal damage, often aimed at Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems and other businesses alleged to be connected to Israeli military operations.
The recent attack on RAF Brize Norton, involving activists using repurposed fire extinguishers to spray paint into the turbine engines of an Airbus Voyager aircraft and damaging it further with crowbars, was described by Home Secretary Cooper as "the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action." She emphasized the importance of the UK's defence enterprise to national security, stating, "This government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk." Cooper's statement to Parliament underlined the increasingly aggressive nature of the group's actions and the significant financial impact, with damages estimated in the millions of pounds.
In response to the government's planned proscription, Palestine Action dismissed the move as "an unhinged reaction" and accused Cooper of making "categorically false claims." The group argued that the "real crime here is not red paint being sprayed on these war planes," framing their actions as a form of direct protest against what they view as Britain's complicity in the Gaza conflict through military support for Israel.
Prior to the official announcement, London’s Metropolitan Police took the unusual step of banning a planned Palestine Action protest outside the Houses of Parliament, redirecting demonstrators to Trafalgar Square, a location just outside a newly imposed police exclusion zone. This zone, established under the Public Order Act, covers Parliament Square, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, and Victoria Embankment up to Charing Cross, and represents one of the strictest security measures ever imposed around Parliament. Police have been granted authority to stop and search individuals suspected of intending to protest within the zone, with penalties for breach including up to a month in prison and fines up to £1,000.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed his “shock and frustration” at the planned demonstration. He described Palestine Action as an “organised extremist criminal group” whose proscription as terrorists was “being actively considered.” Rowley highlighted the group's alleged history of causing millions of pounds of criminal damage and assaulting a police officer with a sledgehammer. He also referenced the recent airbase incident and noted that multiple group members are awaiting trial for serious offences. “The right to protest is essential and we will always defend it,” he said, “but actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as legitimate protest.”
During Monday's protest in Trafalgar Square, demonstrators chanted slogans such as "We are all Palestine Action," waved Palestinian flags, and beat drums. Police intervened when protesters began chanting the controversial phrase "From the river to the sea," and tensions escalated when officers attempted to detain individuals, resulting in a crowd surge and chants of "let them go." The Metropolitan Police confirmed three arrests: two for obstruction and one for a racially aggravated public order offence.
The government’s move to proscribe Palestine Action would place the group on the same legal footing as internationally recognised terrorist organisations such as Hamas, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. Currently, 81 organisations are proscribed under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000. The banning order will be formally laid before Parliament on June 30, 2025, and requires approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before coming into effect.
Not everyone agrees with the government’s approach. Palestine Action member Saeed Taji Farouky described the proscription plan as “absurd,” warning that it “rips apart the very basic concepts of British democracy and the rule of law,” and urged the public to be “terrified” by the precedent it sets. Amnesty International UK’s Tom Southerden criticised the use of terrorism powers against the group, stating, “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.” Southerden urged the UK government to focus on preventing what he termed “Israel’s genocide” and avoiding complicity rather than suppressing protest.
Meanwhile, the Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the government’s stance. Its chief executive, Gideon Falter, remarked, “Nobody should be surprised that those who vandalised Jewish premises with impunity have now been emboldened to sabotage RAF jets.” The group has targeted Jewish-owned businesses linked to Elbit Systems, though Palestine Action maintains it opposes all companies affiliated with Israeli military operations regardless of ownership.
Security concerns around Parliament have intensified amid these events. Lord Walney, a former government adviser on political violence, raised alarms about the safety of Members of Parliament and peers, citing previous pro-Palestinian demonstrations where officials were “harassed, intimidated and obstructed.” He warned that parliamentarians face risks just entering their workplace, undermining democratic processes. In response, police imposed the exclusion zone to safeguard the area and limit disruptive protests.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves condemned Palestine Action’s recent activities, calling their behaviour “totally unacceptable.” She specifically referenced the damage to military and privately owned assets, reinforcing the government's tough stance on the group’s actions.
Palestine Action’s co-founder Richard Barnard, who has a background in the radical Catholic Worker movement and Extinction Rebellion, faces trial next year on charges related to encouraging criminal damage and expressing support for Hamas at pro-Palestinian rallies. Barnard has pleaded not guilty.
As the government prepares to formally proscribe Palestine Action, the group and its supporters vow to challenge the designation, framing their campaign as a necessary response to what they see as Britain’s involvement in the Gaza conflict. Meanwhile, authorities remain committed to curbing what they characterize as extremist and unlawful behaviour that threatens national security and public order.
