The UK government has come under fire for making false and defamatory allegations about the banned group Palestine Action, which was declared a terrorist organisation by the government just last month.
Co-founder Huda Ammori claims that ministers are attempting to justify recent mass arrests of 532 people under suspicion of supporting the group. Many of those arrested were over 60 years old.
In reality, intelligence assessments suggest that Palestine Action does not advocate for violence against persons and that its activities “would not be classified as terrorism”. The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), a government body based within MI5, produced a secret report in March that acknowledged this.
Palestine Action has been involved in peaceful protests and direct action tactics such as graffiti and trespassing. In fact, JTAC described the group’s actions as “common” and stated that they resulted in “minor damage to property”.
The government’s claim that Palestine Action is a violent organisation has sparked outrage among protesters and human rights groups. The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been accused of misleading the public about the nature of the group.
Protesters expect many charges to be laid under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, which are heard in magistrates courts, as the criminal justice system would not be able to cope with so many jury trials.
The status of charges and prosecutions remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the government’s tactics have sparked widespread outrage and protests against its handling of Palestine Action.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/11/palestine-action-huda-ammori-ministers-claims