Politics Morning Star
25 arrested outside Supreme Court as Palestine Action ban appeal begins
MORE than two dozen protesters were arrested outside the Supreme Court today as justices heard an appeal against the ban on Palestine Action. Group co-founder Huda Ammori is challenging the government
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Group co-founder Huda Ammori is challenging the government’s decision to proscribe the group under anti-terrorism laws.
More than 20 demonstrators assembled outside the central London court before the hearing, with police carrying several people away.
The Metropolitan Police later said 25 people were arrested.
Several demonstrators held placards using the same wording as an X post by Sarah Helm, a journalist married to national security adviser Jonathan Powell, who wrote: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.”
Protesters substituted “normal people,” “students” and “sons of Holocaust survivors” for “authors.”
A Defend Our Juries spokesperson said the Met had decided Ms Helm’s message “did not meet the criminal threshold,” but arrested protesters anyway, adding: “Let’s hope the Supreme Court takes into account the blatantly discriminatory application of this crazy law.”
Actor Alfred Enoch held a sign at the protest reading: “This is democracy not terrorism.”
He said: “You can see the chilling effect [the ban has] had.
“I think it’s part of a wider erosion of rights of protest, which is fundamental to a democracy. People don’t even feel safe enough to come out and say that.”
During the hearing, Raza Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, told the court that the objectives of Palestine Action “were aligned with, rather than abhorrent to liberal democratic values.”
He said only three of 385 actions over five years were assessed as meeting the definition of terrorism, solely based on “serious damage to property.”
The Home Secretary’s own advisers assessed that less than 1 per cent of Palestine Action’s direct action activities over five years fell within a definition of terrorism, Mr Husain said.
More than 4,000 people have been arrested for showing support to the group since the ban took effect.
The case follows Ms Ammori’s High Court challenge to then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s 2025 decision.
Three judges found the ban unlawful in February, but five Court of Appeal judges overturned that in June, finding it “justified and proportionate.”
Sir James Eadie KC, for the government, said the Court of Appeal rejected attempts to portray Palestine Action as a ���non-violent direct action protest group.”
He said serious property damage could be considered terrorism without violence or intent to endanger life.
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