‘Immensely heartened’: Sally Rooney hails Palestine Action high court ruling as victory for UK civil liberties

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondentFebruary 21, 2026 at 06:00 PM

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long article 4 min

The UK High Court ruled that banning Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws was unlawful, a decision celebrated by author Sally Rooney as a victory for British civil liberties. The court found the ban, which targeted the group for protesting organizations complicit in arming Israel, disproportionately infringed on freedom of speech and assembly. Rooney, who provided witness statements against the ban and cancelled a UK trip due to fear of arrest, plans to donate proceeds from her work to Palestine Action. She argued that using the Terrorism Act against a non-violent protest group was unprecedented and criminalized otherwise lawful acts of speech and association, exceeding the Act's intended purpose. The ruling marks a legal defeat for ministers who supported the ban.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 50% Terrorism Act ×360% UK ×270% Huda Ammori ×370% Sally Rooney ×590% Palestine Action ×7100%

Keywords

palestine action 100% civil liberties 90% anti-terrorism laws 80% freedom of speech 70% sally rooney 60% protest group 60% political protest 50% terrorism act 50% high court ruling 50%