Britain’s Supreme Court ruled today (Monday) that the government’s decision to outlaw the radical-left group ‘Palestine’ Action was lawful. The ruling overturns an earlier High Court decision that found the ban violated the right to protest and was improperly imposed by ministers. The case is considered one of the most significant national security rulings in the United Kingdom in recent years.
Five Supreme Court justices found that the government’s decision to ban the group “achieved a fair balance.” Supreme Court President Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill emphasized that “‘Palestine’ Action promotes unlawful violence that constitutes terrorism” and that “it is not a sustainable argument to describe it as a non-violent protest group.” She also noted that the group had not distanced itself from three incidents classified as terrorism.
The ban makes membership in or support for ‘Palestine’ Action a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Thousands of people have been arrested at protests in the months since the ban took effect in July of last year. Despite the current ruling, the organization is expected to attempt an appeal to Britain’s Supreme Court.