The British government has been granted permission to appeal a court ruling that declared its ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action unlawful.
The group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July after carrying out a series of direct actions targeting Israel-linked defence companies in Britain. Activists frequently blocked entrances to facilities and sprayed red paint on buildings in protest.
The ban followed a June break-in at RAF Brize Norton, where activists damaged two aircraft. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident at the time, describing it as “disgraceful.”
Lawyers representing Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action in 2020, argued during a hearing last year that the proscription amounted to an authoritarian restriction on the right to protest.
Earlier this month, the High Court of Justice in London ruled that the ban was unlawful, finding it constituted a disproportionate interference with freedom of speech rights.
However, on Wednesday, the same court granted the Home Office permission to challenge that decision. The court said the ban would remain in force while the appeal process moves forward.
The Home Office welcomed the decision to allow an appeal.
“We will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
The earlier High Court ruling had cast doubt over the prosecution of hundreds of individuals charged for publicly expressing support for the group. In response, the Metropolitan Police indicated it would focus on gathering evidence rather than making arrests while legal proceedings continue.
The appeal is expected to further test the balance between national security concerns and the protection of free speech and protest rights in the United Kingdom.