The co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, has said that Britain’s ban on the pro-Palestine group has “massively backfired” and demanded the proscription to be suspended after the High Court found it to be unlawful.
On Friday, three senior judges found the ban to be disproportionate and to constitute a serious interference with the rights to protest and free speech in the UK.
“The nature and scale of its activities falling within the definition of terrorism had not yet reached the level, scale and persistence to warrant proscription,” the judges said.
The proscription, however, still remains in place following court procedures, with senior UK officials such as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood arguing it should not be lifted, meaning the fate of the over 2,700 people who protest group Defend Our Juries says have been arrested remains in a grey area.
“The Court acknowledged that Palestine Action has carried out acts of terrorism. It concluded that its actions are not consistent with democratic values and the rule of law. Supporting the Palestinian cause is not the same as supporting Palestine Action,” Mahmood said.
“The Government’s proscription followed a rigorous process, endorsed by Parliament. I will fight this judgment in the Court of Appeal,” Mahmood’s statement concluded.
Huda Ammori fires back
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Palestine Action was founded in 2020, and one of its co-founders, Huda Ammori, has been at the forefront of the legal challenge following the proscription.
Ammori’s lawyers have said that they will resist the pushback from Mahmood in court to keep the ban in place.
Ammori told The Guardian: “Considering the thousands of people who are going through the criminal justice system and are being prosecuted for holding up signs saying: ‘I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action’ and the chaos that’s created, it’s ridiculous to even try and maintain an unlawful ban.
“The logical next step is for either the [proscription] order to be quashed, and, if not quashed completely, for the effect of the proscription to be stopped whilst the government attempts an appeal.
“This is a huge, huge step forward, and we’re closer than ever to getting the ban lifted. So even though it didn’t happen immediately, I have faith that it’s going to happen quite soon. The ban has been proven unlawful from its inception, so the fact that we haven’t been de-proscribed immediately – we can wait a little bit longer.”
Over 500 of the 2,700-plus arrested individuals have been charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act.
Speaking on the actions of these pro-Palestine protesters, who came from all backgrounds, Ammori said: “It’s just been incredible, it’s been so inspiring and moving to see how many people have been inspired to resist this ban, to defy it. When I first heard about the proscription going through, it hit me like a ton of bricks, and then when you see the amount of solidarity and support – it’s incredibly uplifting. And I won’t say ‘I think’ – I know this victory is in huge part thanks to them.”
Ammori also noted the importance of the fact that she had won the legal challenge on the free speech and right to protest grounds. If she had succeeded only on a procedural ground, such as the failure to consult Palestine Action before the ban, then Mahmood would be able to push through and maintain the decision to keep the proscription in place.
Ammori had spent months fighting the legal battle, which she says had taken a great personal toll on her.
“It’s not easy to be labelled or smeared as a terrorist, to see that something that was made and founded in order to disrupt the Israeli weapons industry, to stop the greatest crimes happening against the Palestinian people, can be labelled as a terrorist organisation,” she said.
“I think with my background being Palestinian and Iraqi, it’s not the first time I would have had that kind of slur, but I remember in the first month or two, every time I heard the words terrorist organisation on a news programme, you can’t connect with that. It just makes you feel sick to your stomach to hear that’s how they describe Palestine Action.”
Support for Palestine Action became illegal in July 2025 following the government’s decision to proscribe it under the anti-terror law.
This meant that expressing support for the group would be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The decision came weeks after Palestine Action activists broke into an RAF base and spray-painted two military aircraft, resulting in £7mn of damage.
However, the recent overturning of the decision, deemed “unlawful”, will mean that the Met Police will officially stop arresting protesters who hold up signs that read “I support Palestine Action.”
