The UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood comes weeks after the government banned a pro-Palestinian activist group.
Palestine Action is an organization that aims to disrupt the operations of weapons manufacturers connected to the Israeli government. It was outlawed by the British government in June following a security breach at the UK’s largest airbase.
It was founded by Huda Ammori and climate activist Richard Barnard in 2020, when the group took its first action to shut down the UK operations of Elbit Systems – Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer – and stated its commitment to “ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime.”
Since it was founded, Palestine Action has also, among other actions, occupied, blockaded, spray painted and disrupted the Israeli-French drone company UAV Tactical Systems and the global arms giant Leonardo.
However, it was the group’s late June 2025 action – when activists broke into Britain’s largest airbase, RAF Brize Norton, and vandalized two Airbus Voyager refueling planes with paint and crowbars – that spurred serious government action.
Days later, then-UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper – who was made foreign secretary in a recent cabinet reshuffle – designated Palestine Action as a terror group, placing it on equal footing with organizations such as Hamas, al Qaeda and ISIS – sparking condemnation from United Nations experts, human rights groups, and politicians.
Hundreds have been arrested trying to protest the activist group’s ban.
Almost 900 demonstrators were arrested in London earlier this month, marking the largest mass arrest in the English capital in decades.
-CNN
