Palestine Action seeking legal challenge against UK Government bid to ban group
Campaign group Palestine Action is seeking a legal challenge against the Government's bid to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws.
An urgent hearing was held in the High Court on Monday related to an application for judicial review on behalf of one of the founders of the direct action group, Huda Ammori.
A further hearing will be held on Friday to decide whether the Government can temporarily be blocked from banning the group, pending a hearing to decide whether Palestine Action can bring the legal challenge.
A decision on whether the group will be given the green light to bring the legal challenge will be given at a further hearing expected to be held in the week of July 21.
Supporting statements have also been submitted by Amnesty International, Liberty and European Legal Support Centre over concerns of unlawful misuse of anti-terror measures to criminalise dissent, a spokesperson said.
Protests took place in Glasgow on Saturday against the proposed ban of Palestine Action. A group of concerned residents turned out at the Gaza Genocide Emegency Committee (GGEC) Emergency Demo at Buchanan Steps to oppose the crackdown.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper tabled the proscription last week after Palestine Action hit RAF Brize Norton and damaged two Voyager aircraft with paint on June 20.
Similar action has taken place in Scotland in recent months with activists spraying their signature red paint at arms manufacturing facilities, as well as Israeli-owned Elbit Systems, the insurers Allianz, and Barclays bank, as well as damge to the Trump Turnberry Golf Club.
The Home Secretary is expected to publish a written statement to lay the order to make membership and support for the direct action group illegal.
If approved, it would become a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Commenting on the hearing, Ms Ammori said: 'I have been left with no choice but to request this urgent hearing and to seek either an injunction or other form of interim relief because of the Home Secretary's decision to try to steamroll this through Parliament immediately, without proper opportunity for MPs and Peers to debate and scrutinise the proposal, or for legal and human rights experts and civil society organisations to make representations, or for those of us who would be denied fundamental rights as a result and criminalised as 'terrorists' overnight, including the many thousands of people who support Palestine Action.'
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Five people have since been arrested on suspicion of a terror offence in relation to the RAF Brize Norton incident.
Unveiling the intention to ban the group following the incident on June 23, Ms Cooper said it was the latest in a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action'.
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