British lawmakers voted Wednesday in favour of banning the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation despite widespread criticism.
The draft order to amend the Terrorism Act 2000 and proscribe three organisations, including Palestine Action, which was formally presented by Labour’s Home Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier this week, was passed in the House of Commons by 385 votes to 26.
Outlining the government’s case to MPs, the Home Office minister Dan Jarvis said: “By implementing this measure, we will remove Palestine Action’s veil of legitimacy, tackle its financial support and degrade its efforts to recruit and radicalise people into committing terrorist activity in its name.
“But we must be under no illusion. Palestine Action is not a legitimate protest group. People engaged in lawful protests don’t need weapons. People engaged in lawful protests do not throw smoke bombs and fire pyrotechnics around innocent members of the public. And people engaged in lawful protests do not cause millions of pounds of damage to national security infrastructure, including submarines and defensive equipment for Nato.
“Proscribing Palestine Action will not impinge on people’s right to protest. Those who wish to protest or express support for Palestine have always been able to and can continue to do so.”
Following the vote, a spokesperson for Palestine Action said: “We are confident that this unlawful order will be overturned. As United Nations experts have made clear, spraying red paint and disrupting the British-based operations of Israel’s largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems, is not terrorism.”
Palestine Action is seeking a legal challenge against the government’s move to proscribe it. A hearing is expected on Friday to decide whether the ban can be temporarily blocked, pending further proceedings to decide whether a legal challenge can be brought.
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Before officially becoming law, the order will have to pass through the House of Lords. Once official, it will become illegal to be a member of Palestine Action in any capacity and to express any support for the group publicly. Those who defy this law could face stiff prison sentence.
Many politicians and human rights organisations have expressed concern since the government announced its plan to ban the group.
The independent MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, said the move “lumps a non-violent network of students, nurses, teachers, firefighters and peace campaigners – ordinary people, my constituents and yours – with neo-Nazi militias and mass-casualty cults.”
She also said the group had thrown “red paint not fire” on aircraft linked to surveillance flights over Gaza.
“Instead of prosecuting them for criminal damage, which is what normally is done, the home secretary is using the Terrorism Act to proscribe them as a terrorist group. This is an unprecedented and dangerous overreach of the state,” Sultana said.
Additionally, Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Riverside posted on X: “Palestine Action should not have been listed to be proscribed alongside two violent Neo-Nazi groups. Today, I voted against this cynical manipulation of parliamentary procedure. We must not weaponise terror laws to criminalise protest.”
UN human rights experts on Tuesday also called on the government to abandon its plan to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000, warning that such a move would violate international standards and suppress legitimate dissent.
Reactions to the vote
Several prominent journalists published their reactions to the controversial vote.
Asa Winstanley of Electronic Intifada alleged that Palestine Action has received a boost of “new recruits” since the ban plan was announced.
“Palestine Action told me yesterday that they’ve had at least 1,000 new recruits since the ban was announced. Must be even more now.”
5Pillars editor Roshan Salih also released a reaction on X: “This is a moment of infamy. A Parliament complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people votes to prevent action being taken by brave civil rights activists trying to end that complicity. Shame, shame, shame.”
British Jewish historian and author Professor Avi Shlaim slammed the UK government’s decision to label Palestine Action a “terrorist groub.”
“Palestine Action has never hurt people. They only hurt machinery which produces the instruments of war.”
Green MP for North Herefordshire Ellie Chowns released a video explaining why she voted against the ban.
“I voted against proscribing Palestine Action. The govt cynically lumped this vote together with real terrorist groups. While I support proscribing actual extremist groups like the indefensible MMC and RIM, I refuse to conflate direct action with terrorism.”
How Muslim MPs voted
Below is a list which showcases how Muslim MPs voted in this key vote. The Palestinian cause is a highly important issue for the overwhelming majority of British Muslims.
Independent Muslim MP for Dewsbury and Batley Iqbal Mohamed has clarified to 5Pillars that he was not in Parliament due to a personal matter so was not able to vote against.
Voted to ban
Rushanara Ali – Labour
Rosena Allin-Khan – Labour
Tulip Siddiq – Labour
Voted against
Ayoub Khan – Independent
Shockat Adam – Independent
Apsana Begum – Independent
Adnan Hussain – Independent
Zarah Sultana – Independent
Tahir Ali – Labour
Imran Hussain – Labour
No vote recorded
Saqib Bhatti – Conservative
Nusrat Ghani – Conservative
Iqbal Mohamed – Independent
Zubir Ahmed – Labour
Sadiq Al Hassan – Labour
Rupa Huq – Labour
Afzal Khan – Labour
Naushabah Khan – Labour
Shabana Mahmood – Labour
Yasmin Qureshi – Labour
Naz Shah – Labour
Ibtisam Mohamed – Labour
Mohammad Yasin – Labour
