The co-founder of Palestine Action has won permission to challenge the ban against the group at the UK's highest court. The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that Huda Ammori can appeal the Court of Appeal's decision to uphold the proscription of the direct action group as a terrorist organization. The case will be heard in the final quarter of this year.
Background of the Ban
Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organization in July last year. In February, the High Court ruled that the ban was disproportionate and unlawful, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in July. The Supreme Court's decision means the fate of more than 3,500 people arrested for alleged support of Palestine Action remains in limbo, as their cases are on hold until the legality of the proscription is definitively resolved.
Ammori's Response
Ammori welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, stating: "The proscription of Palestine Action has become a vehicle for a far broader crackdown on expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people. This unprecedented attack on free speech and the right to protest in this country is already having a chilling effect at a time when speaking out about Israel's crimes could not be more urgent." She appealed directly to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal its own decision within hours of the application.
Unusual Court of Appeal Composition
The Court of Appeal review comprised five judges, an unusual number as it normally consists of two or three. It included the country's two most senior judges: the Lady Chief Justice, Sue Carr, and the Master of the Rolls, Geoffrey Vos. The Supreme Court said it was arguable that the ban represented a disproportionate interference with Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect freedom of speech and protest respectively.
Ongoing Arrests and Protests
As the Supreme Court's decision was published, dozens more people were arrested for allegedly supporting, being a member of, or encouraging others to join Palestine Action. In a demonstration outside Westminster Magistrates Court in central London, protesters took turns to stand up and declare their support for or membership of Palestine Action. Many of the mainly elderly protesters lay down after speaking and were carried away by officers. Among those arrested was an 87-year-old woman in a wheelchair.
Notable Arrests
Sir Jonathon Porritt, 76, a former director of Friends of the Earth and an adviser to the Prince of Wales (now King Charles) for over 30 years, was one of those arrested for showing support for Palestine Action, according to the activist group Defend Our Juries. Dick Scroop, 79, from Wolverhampton, was also present to be arrested. He said: "There's a genocide in which the British government is deeply implicated by its diplomatic efforts and the continuing supply of weapons to Israel, and the attempt to suppress legitimate protests by the wielding of anti-terrorism laws is simply unacceptable. It's an assault on free speech."
Legal Consequences
By inviting support for Palestine Action and expressing membership of the group, the protesters risk up to 14 years' imprisonment in trials before a jury, a significant escalation from most previous arrests for holding placards, which will be dealt with by magistrates and risk a maximum of six months in jail. Many arrested on Thursday had previously been arrested for holding placards allegedly supporting Palestine Action.
Police Statement
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "Officers have arrested 77 people. The majority of arrests have been for expressing support for a proscribed organisation. Four people have been arrested for encouraging or assisting a criminal offence. Police officers remain at the scene and continue to make arrests."
