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Palestine Action: Proscribed Under UK Terrorism Law

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The Home Office announced on 5 July 2025 that the organisation Palestine Action will become a proscribed group under UK terrorism law.

This makes it a criminal offence to be a member of this group or to express support for them.

Palestine Action is an organisation protesting in support of Gaza and the Palestinian people, aiming to halt the UK government’s military and diplomatic support for Israel.

In this article, we will explain what it means for an organisation to be proscribed and what is now considered illegal in relation to this.

Please note that the following article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. If you need legal support with allegations relating to Palestine Action, please get in touch, and our specialist team of terrorism lawyers can advise you.

Is Palestine Action a proscribed organisation?

As of 5 July 2025, Palestine Action is officially proscribed in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000. This means the group is legally classified as a terrorist organisation.

Membership, support, or even displaying materials associated with Palestine Action can now carry penalties of up to 14 years in prison.

The ban followed Parliament's approval in early July and was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that her decision to prescribe the group followed its “orchestration and enaction of aggressive and intimidatory attacks against businesses, institutions and the public, which has crossed the thresholds established in the Terrorism Act 2000”.

What got Palestine Action banned?

Palestine Action was formally banned as a terrorist organisation in the UK on 5 July 2025, following a series of high-impact sabotage actions targeting the defence sector. The most significant of these occurred in June 2025, when activists infiltrated RAF Brize Norton and caused an estimated £7 million in damage to two military aircraft using red paint and crowbars.

However, the decision to proscribe the group had been internally reached by the government as early as March 2025, based on a broader assessment of its conduct. The Home Office cited evidence of sustained, coordinated property sabotage particularly against military and defence infrastructure as well as operational manuals encouraging covert action. Backed by Parliament under the Terrorism Act 2000, the government concluded that Palestine Action met the legal threshold for terrorism due to its planning, systematic disruption, and threat to national security.

What were the recent Palestine Action protest arrests for?

At least 86 people have been arrested for actions such as displaying placards or chanting slogans associated with Palestine Action.

Palestine Action was launched in 2020 and describes itself as a movement ‘committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime’. 

The group says it seeks to use ‘disruptive tactics’ to target ‘corporate enablers’, including companies allegedly involved in weapons manufacture for Israel.

What associations with Palestine Action are considered offences?

Be a member of a proscribed organisation

As of July 2025, being a member of Palestine Action is now classified as a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000, following its proscription by the UK government.

This means that anyone found to be a member of the organisation, or to be actively supporting it, could face prosecution and a custodial sentence of up to 14 years.

Criminal offences include activities such as attending meetings, fundraising, organising events, or publicly displaying support, such as wearing clothing or symbols associated with the group.

Given the seriousness of these offences, individuals should seek immediate legal advice if they are concerned about potential liability.

Support a proscribed organisation

Following the UK government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000, supporting the group is now a criminal offence.

This includes a wide range of activities such as promoting the organisation, encouraging others to support it, displaying its symbols, or assisting with funding or logistics.

Even verbal or online expressions of support may be interpreted as criminal conduct, depending on the context.

Individuals found guilty of supporting a proscribed group may face serious consequences, including imprisonment.

It is important to understand the legal boundaries and seek advice if you are at risk of prosecution.

Wearing the uniform of a proscribed organisation

Since Palestine Action was proscribed, wearing clothing in support of the group in public, such as clothing with the message ‘We are all Palestine Action’, could now be a criminal offence.

Under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, it is illegal to wear clothing or display anything ‘in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion’ that you support a proscribed organisation.

This can carry penalties of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine not exceeding £5,000.

If you are seen publicly wearing that slogan, you could risk arrest and prosecution, even if you have not engaged in any direct action.

What are the legal consequences of being a member of or supporting Palestine Action in the UK?

Membership or support for a proscribed organisation is now a serious criminal offence, carrying up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

Actions such as funding, arranging meetings, or wearing group insignia are punishable by up to 14 years. Even displaying supportive items can lead to up to six months in prison.

Related offences

Fees and funding

We are always clear and upfront when it comes to legal fees.

If you are required to attend court for an offence related to Palestine Action, you may be eligible for Legal Aid. Whether you can access Legal Aid will depend on whether the grant of public funding is justified on a means and interest of justice basis.

Where you do not qualify for Legal Aid, the alternative will be to fund the case on a private basis.       

To find out more about the way we handle fees (both Legal Aid and private fees), please use the links provided below:

Contact our terrorism law solicitors today

If you are due to attend the police station, require any urgent specialist advice, or immediate representation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

You can contact our dedicated terrorism law solicitors in London, Birmingham, and Manchester by telephone on:

Or email: solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk

Alternatively, you can fill out our quick online enquiry form, and we will get back to you quickly.

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For immediate representation and advice, you can contact our Emergency Number: 07836 577 556, and we will provide a prompt, friendly response.