The British Supreme Court ruled on Friday against banning the “Palestine Action” association, or the so-called Action for Palestine, on the grounds that this conflicts with freedom of expression. But Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood announced that she intends to appeal the decision, adding that she is “disappointed” by the court’s decision.

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 14:00 Last updated: 02/14/2026 - 11:05

The Supreme Court of England and Wales ruled on Friday against the ban on Palestine Action, reasoning that the ban conflicts with freedom of expression.

The ruling stated that “the court generally considered that the ban on Palestine Action was disproportionate and the number of the movement’s activities that amounted to terrorist acts was very small.”

The judges said the ban resulted in “extremely serious interference with the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.” The government quickly responded, and Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said she would appeal the ruling.

She stated, "I am disappointed by the court's decision, and I disagree with the idea that banning this terrorist organization is a disproportionate measure."

She added, "Ministers of the Interior must retain the authority to take the necessary measures to protect our national security and preserve the safety of citizens. I intend to appeal this ruling to the Court of Appeal."

Cheers broke out outside the court when the verdict was pronounced. But the judges ruled that the ban imposed in July 2025 under the British Anti-Terrorism Act of 2000 would remain in effect until the appeal was decided.

Read also: At least 300,000 demonstrators in the streets of London in solidarity with the Palestinians, and the police clash with an extremist right-wing counter-demonstration

Nearly three thousand people, some in their eighties, were arrested, and charges were brought against hundreds who expressed their support for the movement in demonstrations organized since July.

Disrupting the arms trade

According to Defend Juries, an organization organizing the protests, most of those arrested were arrested because they carried signs supporting the movement.

Palestine Action is a pro-Palestinian protest network founded in 2020. It uses direct action tactics to shut down and disrupt multinational arms dealers.

The group is targeting UK-based arms factories that supply air strikes launched by Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

These actions include open sit-ins in front of weapons factories, spraying with red paint, breaking windows, occupying roofs of factory buildings, sabotaging equipment inside the factory, and other activities aimed at disrupting the company’s work at the factory in peaceful ways. It is a method adopted in many rights and freedom movements and protests against wars around the world and in the United Kingdom.

The movement was founded by veteran British left-wing activist Richard Barnard and British-Palestinian activist Hoda Amori. The group declares its aims to end the UK's involvement in "Israeli genocide and apartheid", and to support the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people and the right of return for Palestinian refugees.

France 24/Reuters

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