Palestine Action latest: Humiliation for government as High Court rules terror ban was unlawful – UK Times

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

The home secretary has vowed to appeal the High Court’s judgement that Palestine Action’s ban under terrorism legislation is unlawful, saying she is “disappointed by the Court’s decision”.

In a statement on Friday morning, Shabana Mahmood said: “The Court has acknowledged that Palestine Action has carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who have taken part in those acts and promoted the use of violence.

“It has also concluded that Palestine Action is not an ordinary protest or civil disobedience group, and that its actions are not consistent with democratic values and the rule of law.

“For those reasons, I am disappointed by the Court’s decision and disagree with the notion that banning this terrorist organisation is disproportionate.”

She added: “The proscription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process, endorsed by Parliament. The proscription does not prevent peaceful protest in support of the Palestinian cause, another point on which the Court agrees.

“As a former Lord Chancellor, I have the deepest respect for our judiciary. Home secretaries must however retain the ability to take action to protect our national security and keep the public safe. I intend to fight this judgment in the Court of Appeal.”

Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori has reacted publicly to the High Court ruling in her favour over the group’s proscription.

In a post on X she wrote: “BREAKING: WE WON.

“The High Court ruled the Palestine Action ban is unlawful as it is disproportionate to free speech and the Home Secretary breached her own policy.

“The court ordered the ban be quashed. Details of lifting the ban will be decided and completed at a later date.”

The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

At the end of a terrible week for the prime minister, this judgement comes as a humiliating blow.

The Home Office’s decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism laws has been judged unlawful.

Last year as the row over the ban depended Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti told The Independent that it risked becoming the PM’s ‘poll tax’ moment -a reference to Margaret Thatcher’s unpopular policy that triggered civil disobedience and riots.

But Downing Street defended the move to ban the group, saying it was “violent”, had committed “significant injury” as well as criminal damage, and that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre had found the organisation had carried out three separate acts of terrorism.

As Starmer heads to the Munich Security Conference to discuss security with other world leaders this judgement will come as a blow.

About a hundred people gathered outside the High Court building in central London are cheering and chanting “Free Palestine” after news broke that judges have ruled the Home Office’s decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism laws was unlawful.

The Independent’s home affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:

Dame Victoria Sharp, Mr Justice Swift and Mrs Justice Steyn have decided that the terror ban will remain in force until further legal hearings can take place.

Lawyers for Ms Ammori and the Home Office have till the 20 February to provide further submissions to the court ahead of more hearings that will decide whether the ban should be lifted.

The Independent’s home affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:

Justice Victoria Sharp has told the High Court that the proscription of Palestine Action “did result in a very significant interference with the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly”.

She added that “the Palestine Action was disproportionate, a few small of Palestine Action’s activities amounted to terrorism”.

She said that the criminal acts “had not yet reached the level, scale and persistence to warrant proscription.”

Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori has won a High Court challenge over the ban of the organisation as a terror group on two grounds, judges have said.

The High Court is to rule on whether the Home Office’s decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws was lawful on Friday.

Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori is taking legal action against the department over the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The activist group had been allowed to challenge the Home Office over its proscription as a terrorist organisation after the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal.

You can read more about why the group was banned below: