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The recent ban imposed by the UK government on Palestine Action has drawn criticism from the United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Turk, who describes it as a concerning misuse of counter-terrorism legislation. Turk has called on the government to reconsider the ban, labeling it as “disproportionate and unnecessary.”
This move came after Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government under the Terrorism Act 2000, following activists taking responsibility for spraying red paint on two military aircraft, resulting in approximately £7m worth of damage. The legality of this decision is currently being contested in the High Court, with a judgment expected by the end of the month.
As a result of the ban, it is now considered a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison to be a member of or support Palestine Action. Since the ban was put in place, over 170 individuals have been arrested under the Terrorism Act of 2000. Turk, who has held the position of the UN’s high commissioner for human rights since 2022, has voiced concerns over the restriction of rights of those associated with Palestine Action who have not engaged in criminal activities but have exercised their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
Palestine Action has been primarily targeting arms companies since the conflict in Gaza began. The group’s activities led to the approval of plans to ban them by Parliament on July 2nd, following an incident where activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray painted two Voyager aircraft alleged to support the Israeli military. Several criminal prosecutions related to incidents between 2022 and 2024 are currently ongoing, with four individuals accused of the Brize Norton incident scheduled for trial more than a year from now. Turk also criticized the UK’s broad definition of terrorism, noting that it includes “serious damage to property,” which he argues extends beyond the scope of traditional terrorist acts under international standards
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