During Thursday, some 117 protesters were arrested outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with Metropolitan Police saying the majority of arrests were for expressing support for the group.
Scores of protesters had turned up there because they had expected to appear in court accused of allegedly showing support for the group at earlier public events. However, those cases had been listed in error. Many of the defendants said that they felt they had no choice but to turn up, despite the court and Metropolitan Police telling them not to do so.
Palestine Action co-founder Ammori welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to hear her appeal – and said that the latest arrests were part of a wider crackdown on Palestinian solidarity.
“We will continue to fight this proscription all the way to the Supreme Court and, if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights to overturn what has become one of the most extreme attacks on free speech and the right to protest in modern British history.”
The Home Office has repeatedly said that the ban of the group has nothing to do with protest in support of Palestinian causes – and was necessary because it was causing significant criminal damage to legitimate businesses.
Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled that Palestine Action’s activities include criminal acts – although they were divided on whether those incidents justified turning to terrorism laws.
Those laws – approved by MPs in Parliament – allow the government to ban a group for either serious violence or serious criminal damage for an ideological cause – and trigger wider powers for the police to investigate and charge suspects for organising activities and fundraising.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment but following its major win at the Court of Appeal it said that it would robustly defend any further appeal to the Supreme Court. The BBC understands that position has not altered since the change in prime minister.
