The UK justice minister has defended the government’s decision to ban the direct action group Palestine Action, following mass arrests at a London protest over the weekend.
UK Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones has warned that anyone showing support for the recently proscribed group would “feel the full force of the law.”
Her comments came after a large demonstration in London on Saturday 9 August against the ban, during which police arrested 532 people. Official figures revealed that 348 of those detained were aged 50 or older.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Davies-Jones thanked police for their “bravery and courage” in carrying out their duties.
She said: “that the right to peacefully protest in this country is a cornerstone of our democracy, and of course, we respect that. But with regards to Palestine Action, they are a proscribed terrorist organisation and their actions have not been peaceful.”
The justice minister alleged that the group had caused criminal damage to Royal Air Force aircraft and targeted Jewish-owned businesses in the UK.
“We have credible reports of them targeting Jewish-owned businesses here in the UK, and there are other reasons which we can’t disclose because of national security,” she said. “But they are a proscribed terrorist organization and anyone showing support for that terrorist organization will feel the full force of the law.”
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
The UK government announced its decision to proscribe Palestine Action in June under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The move followed an incident where activists belonging to the group spray-painted planes at a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, an act now being investigated under counter-terrorism laws.
The ban passed through the House of Commons and the House of Lords in July, making it a criminal offence to support or belong to the group.
Palestine Action describes itself as a direct-action network targeting companies involved in supplying Israel’s military.
The government’s decision has drawn criticism from international rights groups and bodies, including the UN high commissioner for human rights publicly criticising the ban.
In addition, the UN special rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights has been granted permission to intervene in a judicial review of the ban.
The High Court has authorised the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori, to proceed with a full judicial review against the order issued by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper designating the group as a terrorist organisation.
