Palestine Action to challenge UK government ban

Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campaign organization Palestine Action says it has initiated legal proceedings to challenge the British government’s intention to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws.

The proscription – expected to be laid before parliament today – would make it a criminal offense to belong to the group, and was announced days after its activists damaged two British military planes in protest at London’s support for Israel.

Palestine Action previously condemned the government’s move, calling it “an unhinged reaction,” and said that London’s High Court had granted the group an urgent hearing on Friday to consider permission for a legal challenge to the proscription.

The group is seeking a court order to prevent the government from proscribing the group pending its case being heard, Palestine Action says.

Under British law, the Home Secretary can proscribe a group if it is believed it commits, encourages or “is otherwise concerned in terrorism.” The ban would put Palestine Action on a par with Hamas, al-Qaeda or ISIS under British law.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper previously said the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage” and that the government would not tolerate those who put national security at risk.