U.K. to ban Palestine Action as terror group after RAF break-in

By lauraharris // 2025-06-26

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Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to ban Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton, where two military planes were vandalized.
Palestine Action, a direct action group opposing U.K. arms ties to Israel, has carried out multiple high-profile protests and break-ins at defense-related sites, including Thales and Elbit Systems.
Cooper argues the group's actions meet the threshold for terrorism, citing national security concerns and a "long history" of criminal damage; the draft proscription order will be presented to Parliament on June 30.
The ban would make it a criminal offense to belong to or support Palestine Action, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison, but Cooper emphasized it would not apply to peaceful pro-Palestinian activism.
Palestine Action has strongly condemned the move, calling it "an unhinged reaction" and accusing the UK of enabling "Israel's genocide;" the group says it will legally challenge the ban.

United Kingdom Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation, following a high-profile break-in at RAF Brize Norton last week in which two military aircraft were spray-painted red. Palestine Action, which describes itself as a "direct action movement" against U.K. complicity in the military actions of Israel, has carried out dozens of protests and break-ins over the past five years. Notable incidents include a 2022 break-in at Thales' Glasgow facility, causing over £1.1 million ($1.5 million) in damages with smoke bombs and pyrotechnics and recent breaches of factories linked to Elbit Systems in Kent and Bristol. (Related: Met Police (UK) threaten TERRORISM charges against "keyboard warriors" who comment on immigration protests.) On Monday, June 16, the group held a protest in central London, drawing hundreds of demonstrators. This, in turn, led to a high-profile break-in at RAF Brize Norton on Friday, June 20. Police confirmed 13 arrests after scuffles broke out during the demonstration and two military aircraft were spray-painted red. As a response, Cooper drafted an order to proscribe Palestine Action, which will be laid before Parliament on June 30. "The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action," Cooper said in a written statement to parliament. "The U.K.'s defense enterprise is vital to the nation's national security and this government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk. Its activities meet the threshold set out in the statutory tests established under the Terrorism Act 2000." Moreover, Cooper stressed that the proposed ban is narrowly targeted and does not apply to other pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel campaigners acting within the law. "It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the U.K.'s foreign policy, can continue to do so," Cooper said. If approved by Parliament, the order would make it a criminal offense to belong to or support the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Palestine Action accuses U.K. of complicity in Israel's genocide

Palestine Action has issued a defiant response to Cooper's plan to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws. The group has condemned the proposed ban as "an unhinged reaction" and accused Cooper of making a series of "categorically false claims." It also argued that Britain is an "active participant" in the war in Gaza due to its military support for Israel. "The real crime here is not red paint being sprayed on these war planes but the war crimes that have been enabled with those planes because of the U.K. government's complicity in Israel's genocide," the group said. Palestine Action described itself as a grassroots movement made up of "teachers, nurses, students and parents" who use direct action tactics to disrupt companies linked to the arms trade with Israel. "We are teachers, nurses, students and parents who take part in actions disrupting the private companies who are arming Israel's genocide, by spray painting or entering their factory premises. It is plainly preposterous to rank us with terrorist groups like ISIS, National Action and Boko Haram," it said. "We have instructed lawyers who are pursuing all avenues for legal challenge." Follow Terrorism.news for more news about terrorist groups around the world. Watch the video below about ISIS-K carrying out a Moscow-style attack in America.

This video is from the MyPodcastDropped2320 channel on Brighteon.com.

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Palestine Action accuses U.K. of complicity in Israel's genocide

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