‘Unprecedented’ terror prices since Labour’s Palestine Action ban | EUROtoday

The variety of individuals charged with supporting Palestine Action has reached unprecedented ranges in simply two months, quadrupling ranges seen within the 20 years since 9/11.

At least 138 individuals have been charged beneath Section 13 of the Terrorism Act – which bans displaying or publishing an indication, flag or clothes in help of a terrorist organisation – since Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist group in July, in keeping with provisional figures from the Crown Prosecution Service.

By comparability, simply 34 individuals have been charged beneath the identical offence between 2001 and the tip of June 2025 – days earlier than Palestine Action was added to the federal government’s record of designated terrorist organisations.

Shami Chakrabarti referred to as the dimensions of the Palestine Action prices “unprecedented”, whereas different members of the House of Lords questioned whether or not this use of police sources, which has seen scores of officers deployed to patrol rallies in help of the group, was “counterproductive”.

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The variety of individuals charged over latest protests is more likely to develop – with tons of of individuals arrested for supporting Palestine Action to date, together with 857 at one protest on Saturday alone.

“This absurd misuse of terrorism legislation is deeply damaging to our freedom of speech,” warned Lord Paul Strasburger, a Liberal Democrat life peer, within the House of Lords on Tuesday.

Already, the variety of terrorism prices because the group was banned after protesters broke into an RAF base and broken two army plane earlier this yr has exceeded any given yr, when evaluating to the newest Home Office figures. This stays the case even when together with extra critical offences similar to directing or fundraising for a terrorist group, or weapons coaching.

Charges beneath Section 13 (of the Terrorism Act 2000) particularly relate to “displaying or publishing articles or images in support of a proscribed organisation”.

That may embody sporting gadgets of clothes, similar to a keffiyeh, which has change into synonymous with Palestine solidarity, or carrying gadgets which “arouse reasonable suspicion” of help for Palestine Action, similar to an indication or flag.

There have by no means been greater than 10 prices for this offence in a single yr earlier than this yr.

The penalties of being charged embody spending as much as six months in jail, a possible bar to international locations such because the US and Australia, and a everlasting felony document, which is able to possible have an effect on alternatives for employment or college.

Ministers have warned that the traces are blurred for these attending demonstrations, who could have quite a few motivations, similar to protesting the actions of Israeli forces or the terrorism proscription itself.

“The lines are too blurred between protesting for Palestinian lives, support for de-proscription and support for Palestine Action [itself],” Ms Chakrabarti informed The Independent.

Home Office minister David Hanson, in the meantime, has argued that “it is for the police at a local level to interpret the legislation”, saying that the arrests have been at their discretion.

“If people wish to protest in support of Palestine, they can do so. They can march, protest, criticise Israel and make their views known on Palestine, but Palestine Action has crossed that threshold,” he added.

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But former police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe warned that the burden of this distinction must be placed on the federal government, not the police – who’re coping with the “consequences” of the proscription.

“Surely we should all be supporting the police because, after all, this is a logical consequence of prohibiting the group and having a law to make sure that support for terrorism is illegal,” Lord Hogan-Howe informed the House of Lords in a debate on Tuesday.

He added: “The government must have considered that this group had some mass support for its general intent, if not its methods. This is one of the consequences that the police will have to try to resolve, and we all need to support them until this matter is resolved politically.”

Ms Chakrabarti notes that the hundreds of individuals attending protests in latest weeks may also battle to precise the place they fall on the spectrum of help for Palestine Action when dealing with arrest, including: “It’s unreasonable to expect the police or public to conduct legal seminars on the ground.”

She additionally warned that the shortage of readability round Palestine Action’s proscription is damaging belief in authorities, and urged better transparency.

“If the government has evidence of Palestine Action plotting to take lives rather than damage property, they should publish it as soon as possible to avoid even greater damage to public trust,” stated Ms Chakrabarti.

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Home Office secretary Lord Hanson confirmed that there are presently “no plans” to evaluation the laws, though the federal government has de-proscribed terror teams previously.

“Proscription decisions should be constantly reviewed, not least in relation to changing circumstances – including unprecedented numbers of arrests for vague support rather than membership,” Ms Chakrabarti informed The Independent.

“Will the government please stop shooting the messengers in Parliament Square and start listening to their message, which is that Britain is doing nowhere near enough to stop the daily atrocities in Gaza?” urged Lord Strasburger this week.