UK Ban on Palestine Action Is Unlawful, Court Finds

U.K. Ban on Pro-Palestinian Group Is Unlawful, Court FindsThe High Court ruling, which can be appealed, said the British government had overstepped when it banned Palestine Action as a terrorist group.Police remove a protester who was taking part in a demonstration in support of Palestine Action in London, in November.Credit...Toby Shepheard/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesFeb. 13, 2026, 5:12 a.m. ETThe British government’s decision to ban a pro-Palestinian protest group as a terrorist organization was ruled unlawful on Friday by senior judges.The decision is a setback for the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which has faced significant criticism over the ban and its implications for free speech and the right to protest.The ruling in Britain’s High Court could still be appealed, however.The group, Palestine Action, does not promote violence against individuals. But its members have damaged facilities linked to an Israeli weapons manufacturer and last June broke into R.A.F. Brize Norton, Britain’s largest air force base, in Oxfordshire, and vandalized two aircraft.The government’s subsequent ban put Palestine Action on the same legal footing as terrorist organizations including Al Qaeda; Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group; and Hezbollah.The ban was the first time the British government had used such powers against a group for “serious damage to property,” rather than because of the use or threat of violence, prompting criticism from a broad range of human rights groups and international bodies.The ban on Palestine Action, which took effect last July, has led to the arrests of more than 2,000 people simply for holding signs supporting the group.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.Stephen Castle is a London correspondent of The Times, writing widely about Britain, its politics and the country’s relationship with Europe.SKIP