ALBAWABA - British authorities announced plans to prosecute at least 60 individuals accused of supporting Palestine Action, an anti-Israel movement that was formally outlawed in July after being designated a terrorist organization.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that arrangements have been put in place to handle large-scale investigations and that prosecutions could proceed on a weekly basis. Since the ban, more than 700 people have been detained, including 522 during a single protest last weekend — the highest number of arrests ever recorded at one demonstration in London.
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said the decision reflects the sheer number of recent arrests and added that further cases are expected in the coming weeks. Earlier this month, three individuals were charged under terrorism laws for their involvement with the banned movement after participating in a July protest.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the government’s actions, insisting that “national security and public safety in the United Kingdom must always remain top priorities.”
The government’s move to proscribe Palestine Action came on July 7, days after the group claimed responsibility for storming a Royal Air Force base in southern England in protest of Britain’s military support for Israel’s war in Gaza.
Founded in 2020, Palestine Action rose to prominence for targeting factories and businesses linked to Israeli defense firms. One of its most notable actions was disrupting drone production at Elbit Systems’ plant in Bristol, a subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturer.
The group gained further visibility following Israel’s war on Gaza that began in October 2023, describing its activities as direct action against what it calls genocide.
The ban and subsequent arrests have drawn criticism from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations, which argued that the government’s measures “overstepped legal boundaries” and warned that the crackdown threatens freedom of expression in the UK.
