Supporters of the banned group Palestine Action are intent on a day of protest on Saturday, after the UK government won the right to challenge the group’s appeal against its proscription as a terrorist group.
More than 1,500 people have said they will attend the demonstrations in London, Edinburgh and Belfast, with numbers swelling after prominent campaigners against the ban were arrested earlier this week.
Demonstrators will hold up a sign that says “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” which means they could face arrest under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for expressing public support for a proscribed organisation.
More than 500 people were arrested for doing this at the last demonstration in August, and more than 700 people have been arrested and 148 charged since the group was proscribed on July 5.
The gathering in London will coincide with a national march for Palestine organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people from across the country. They will gather at Russell Square at 12pm and march to Whitehall.
This is the 30th national rally in support of Palestine since Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began, and it is distinct from Palestine Action and its supporters.
A court of appeal ruling announced late on Thursday will allow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to try to block the move by Palestine Action to have its proscription overturned at the High Court.
Huda Ammori, Palestine Action’s co-founder, had won an appeal in August to have the designation reviewed by a judge in November. Ms Ammori’s lawyers had argued that the decision to ban the group would have an impact on freedom of speech and should be overturned.
But it emerged on Thursday that Ms Cooper has now been given the right to try to block the review at a hearing on September 25. In comments attached to the judgment, Lord Justice Underhill said: “I believe that the appeal has a real prospect of success,” adding that it was "highly desirable" for the government's appeal to be heard "as soon as possible".
Six people appeared in court yesterday charged with organising demonstrations in support of Palestine Action in London, Manchester and Cardiff between July and August, as well as planning the Saturday gathering, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Among them is Timothy Crosland, 55, a former government lawyer and co-founder of Defend Our Juries, the group campaigning for the proscription of Palestine Action to be overturned.
Defend Our Juries have asked other pro-Palestinian groups to monitor the police activity on the day.
They have also briefed protester to go “floppy” and to reject street bail, which is done by the police for speed, and requires the suspect to accept probation without legal representation, so that they go free immediately.
Palestine Action was proscribed after it organised a break-in at the RAF Brize Norton airbase, in which two military planes were spray-painted. The action was estimated to have caused £7 million ($9.4 million) of damage.
Since 2020, the group have also targeted the premises of Israeli-owned weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems UK, as well as those of companies working with it.
