The announcement follows a high-profile incident last week in which activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed red paint over two military aircraft.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed plans to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000, in a dramatic escalation of the government’s response to the protest group known for targeting British arms manufacturers linked to Israel.
The announcement follows a high-profile incident last week in which activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed red paint over two military aircraft. Cooper labelled the act “disgraceful” and a threat to national security.
If Parliament approves the proscription order next week, Palestine Action will be designated a terrorist organisation, making it a criminal offence to support or be a member of the group. Offenders could face up to 14 years in prison.
Crackdown on group
“Palestine Action has a long history of criminal damage, and since 2024, its activity has increased in frequency and severity,” Cooper told the House of Commons. “Its actions meet the statutory criteria under the Terrorism Act.”
She stressed that the move was specific to Palestine Action and not aimed at peaceful protest or pro-Palestinian activism more broadly. “It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the UK’s foreign policy, can continue to do so,” Cooper added.
“Palestine Action has a long history of criminal damage, and since 2024, its activity has increased in frequency and severity. Its actions meet the statutory criteria under the Terrorism Act.”
Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary
Palestine Action describes itself as a “direct action movement” that uses disruptive tactics to target entities involved in the production or support of weapons used by Israel. It has frequently targeted British factories, universities, and even government buildings. The group’s stated aim is to “shut Elbit Systems down”—a reference to the Israeli weapons firm with several UK subsidiaries.
History of disruption
Since its founding in 2020, Palestine Action has made headlines with a series of dramatic stunts. In 2022, activists caused over £1.1 million in damages at a Thales weapons facility in Glasgow, using pyrotechnics and smoke bombs. Other actions have included break-ins at the Instro Precision factory in Kent and the Bristol headquarters of Elbit Systems UK.
The RAF Brize Norton incident has raised particular alarm within government circles. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said the break-in was “not only epically stupid, but also a direct attack on our national security.” Two RAF Voyager aircraft were damaged with paint, though there was no impact on wider operations, according to defence officials.
Pollard told MPs that security across all military installations had since been enhanced, stating, “A similar incident must never happen again.”
Palestine Action slammed the decision as “unhinged,” arguing that it represented a political attack on civil disobedience and free speech. In a statement, the group said, “The real crime here is not red paint on war planes, but the war crimes those planes enable. The UK government is complicit in Israel’s genocide.”
The group insisted it would pursue all legal avenues to challenge the move, stating that its members were “teachers, nurses, students and parents” engaged in “principled action” rather than terrorism.
Critics of the ban have emerged from across the political spectrum. Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf called the move a “shameful abuse of anti-terror legislation,” accusing the government of trying to intimidate protestors. Labour MP Nadia Whittome warned the move set a “dangerous precedent, which governments in future could use against their critics.”
However, the government has also received backing from across the aisle. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge described the RAF incident as “sabotage, not vandalism,” and urged authorities to ensure those responsible face consequences. Chancellor Rachel Reeves echoed those sentiments, calling Palestine Action’s conduct “totally unacceptable.”
Heavy police presence in Central London
As Cooper made her announcement, hundreds of demonstrators associated with Palestine Action gathered at Trafalgar Square, after police banned the group from protesting outside Parliament. Scotland Yard imposed an exclusion zone across Westminster, citing public safety.
The protest, originally planned outside the House of Commons, was relocated at the last minute after the Metropolitan Police placed strict conditions under the Public Order Act. Charing Cross Road was temporarily blocked as protesters waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans such as “We will not be silenced.”
The rally was ordered to conclude by 3:00 PM BST. When it did not, police moved in to disperse the crowd, resulting in 13 arrests. The Metropolitan Police said six were arrested for assaulting emergency workers, four for refusing to disperse, and others for public order offences, including racially aggravated behaviour.
The draft order to ban Palestine Action is expected to be laid before Parliament early next week. While the move is likely to pass with cross-party support, it is already intensifying debates around the limits of protest, government accountability, and the use of counter-terrorism laws.
