The UK High Court has ruled that the government’s decision to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was unlawful, in a judgment that marks a significant development in the debate over the use of anti-terror legislation against protest movements.
In its decision, the court found that the move by then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to proscribe the group last summer was disproportionate.
However, Judge Victoria Sharp ruled that the ban will remain in force while the appeal process continues.
Civil liberties concerns
The ruling follows a legal challenge brought by Palestine Action against the UK government’s designation, which had effectively criminalised membership and support for the group under terrorism legislation.
Civil liberties campaigners had argued that the ban represented an overreach of executive power, warning it could blur the line between protest activity and terrorism offences.
They also raised concerns that the designation risked setting a precedent for applying counter-terrorism laws to political activism.
Ban remains in effect
Despite finding the original decision unlawful, the High Court stopped short of immediately lifting the proscription.
As the case moves into the appeal phase, the group remains on the UK’s list of banned organisations, meaning support for it continues to carry criminal liability.
The judgment is expected to intensify scrutiny of how anti-terror powers are used in relation to domestic protest movements, particularly in cases linked to the Middle East and national security policy.
Source: CNN