Publisher Faber and author Sally Rooney agreed to stop supplying all formats of Rooney's novels in the United Kingdom in October 2026 after Rooney pledged her royalty earnings to Palestine Action. Under Section 15 of the UK Terrorism Act 2000, passing royalties to Rooney creates criminal liability carrying up to 14 years imprisonment due to Palestine Action's July 2025 proscription as a terrorist group. Over 3,700 people have been arrested under the ban, which faces a Supreme Court appeal in November 2026.
Withdrawal of Sally Rooney books from UK
- ▪Publisher Faber and Irish author Sally Rooney agreed in October 2026 to cease supplying all formats of Rooney's novels to United Kingdom retailers.
- ▪Existing physical copies of Sally Rooney's novels remain permitted for sale in UK bookshops while supplies last, though digital ebook editions were removed from sale in October 2026.
- ▪Sally Rooney has sold more than six million book copies globally, including over two million copies in the United Kingdom prior to the October 2026 UK sales withdrawal.
Sally Rooney support for Palestine Action and legal impact
- ▪Sally Rooney cancelled a scheduled trip to the United Kingdom to accept a literary award in September 2025 over concerns she could face arrest for supporting Palestine Action.
- ▪Sally Rooney announced in August 2025 that she intended to donate royalty earnings from her UK book sales to Palestine Action to support direct action against Israeli actions in Gaza.
- ▪Section 15 of the UK Terrorism Act 2000 makes providing money or property with reasonable cause to suspect it may be used for terrorism punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
- ▪Publisher Faber stated in October 2026 that UK terrorism legislation prevented the company from legally transferring UK earnings to author Sally Rooney for her work.
Designation of Palestine Action as terrorist group
- ▪Palestine Action was designated as a terrorist group following incidents including a June 2025 break-in and red spray-paint damage to aircraft at Royal Air Force Base Brize Norton.
- ▪Palestine Action, founded in 2020, has repeatedly targeted facilities associated with Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems UK to disrupt weapon manufacturing.
- ▪The British government proscribed direct-action protest group Palestine Action as a designated terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act in July 2025.
Fallout and legal challenges over Palestine Action ban
- ▪More than 3,700 people have been arrested in the United Kingdom for expressing support for Palestine Action since the group was designated as a terrorist organization in July 2025.
- ▪The United Kingdom Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal in November 2026 challenging the legal proscription of Palestine Action.
- ▪Amnesty International UK and civil liberties organizations criticized the proscription of Palestine Action as an overly broad misuse of counterterrorism legislation that restricts free expression.
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