Ammori says UKs ban on Palestine Action was counterproductive

High Court Rules Palestine Action’s Proscription Unlawful

A High Court in London has ruled that the UK government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a “terror” organization was unlawful. The group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, described the ruling as a “victory for Palestine.”

The ban, which was imposed last June, had been criticized by human rights officials and authors such as Sally Rooney, who argued that it was an illiberal overreach that put Palestine Action on par with other organizations deemed terrorist. The group’s stated objective is to counter Israeli war crimes by targeting weapons manufacturers and associated companies.

According to Ammori, the ban has had the opposite effect, increasing the group’s visibility and spreading its message. “They’ve made Palestine Action a household name,” she said. “They have spread the message and the power that ordinary people have to shut down weapons factories across the country and across the world.”

Palestine Action was founded in 2020 with the goal of countering Israeli war crimes by targeting the source of the arms supply. The group’s main target is Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company, which has several sites in the UK.

The High Court judges ruled that the decision to proscribe Palestine Action was “disproportionate.” The ruling comes after dozens of activists were arrested and charged with crimes related to their involvement in protests against the ban. Some have been acquitted or bailed, while others remain on remand.

The government has announced its intention to appeal the ruling, despite criticism from human rights groups and some Labour politicians.

Source: Al Jazeera