UK Court of Appeal Upholds Government Ban on Palestine Action as Terrorist Organization

Jun 15, 2026

The UK Court of Appeal has upheld the government's ban on the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, overturning a lower court's ruling. The court deemed the ban proportionate, citing the group's promotion of "unlawful violence." The decision means over 3,000 people arrested under the ban, which carries a 14-year prison sentence, could face prosecution. The group's co-founder plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Court of Appeal proscription ruling

▪Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori stated she will appeal the ruling to the UK Supreme Court.
▪The court stated it was a "fundamental mistake" to overlook that Palestine Action "overtly promoted unlawful violence amounting to terrorism."
▪Five senior judges, led by Lady Chief Justice Sue Carr, concluded the proscription of Palestine Action was "justified and proportionate."
▪The Court of Appeal's decision overturned a February 2026 High Court ruling that had found the ban on Palestine Action unlawful.
▪The UK Court of Appeal ruled on June 15, 2026, that the government's ban on Palestine Action as a terrorist organization is lawful.

Palestine Action targeting Elbit

▪Palestine Action is a direct-action group that primarily targeted and vandalized facilities of Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems in the UK.
▪The government proscribed Palestine Action after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in June 2025 and damaged two military planes.

Freedom of expression arguments

▪Huda Ammori's legal challenge argued the ban created a "culture of fear" and violated rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
▪Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the ruling does not affect lawful protest and distinguishes supporting Palestine from supporting a terrorist group.
▪Amnesty International described the ban as a "grave misuse of counter-terrorism powers with serious consequences for human rights."

Mass arrests under ban

▪The ruling means over 700 people already charged with supporting Palestine Action could now face prosecution under the Terrorism Act.
▪On June 15, 2026, police arrested 117 people at a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice for allegedly supporting a proscribed organization.
▪Since the ban was imposed in July 2025, more than 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with supporting Palestine Action.

Terrorism law consequences

▪The ban marked the first time the UK government used terrorism powers against a group for "serious damage to property" rather than violence against people.
▪The proscription, made under the Terrorism Act 2000, makes supporting Palestine Action a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.