Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
4w ago

Palestine Action Ban Ruled Unlawful; Cases Put On Hold Pending Government Appeal

An appeal keeps the designation in force, leaving prosecutions in flux.

Image
Image
TOPSHOT - Police officers arrest an 89-year-old protester at a "Lift The Ban" demonstration in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action, calling for the recently imposed ban to be lifted, in Parliament Square, central London, on August 9, 2025. Organisers expect at least 500 people to turn up to a new demonstration in support of Palestine Action today, and police have warned all demonstrators could face arrest. Palestine Action was proscribed under the 2000 Terrorism Act. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Westminster’s Chief Magistrate adjourned 31 section 13 Terrorism Act cases to April 27 and told other defendants not to attend court until the appeal concludes.
  • The High Court found the proscription unlawful and disproportionate, saying it interfered with free speech and assembly, though it accepted some actions met the statutory definition of terrorism.
  • Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has confirmed an appeal, so membership and support offences under the proscription remain in effect for now.
  • Police and prosecutors are recalibrating, with Scotland Yard reported to have paused arrests and the Crown Prosecution Service saying individual courts should decide whether to proceed or adjourn.
  • Campaigners report more than 2,700 arrests and nearly 700 people charged since the ban, with no convictions yet, and separate Scottish proceedings in early March may be affected by the appeal.