UK Declares Palestine Action a Terrorist Group After RAF Plane Sabotage: “Totally Unacceptable”

The UK Parliament passed legislation today designating the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, following a brazen breach of RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, where activists vandalized two Airbus Voyager military aircraft. The group, using electric scooters and repurposed fire extinguishers, sprayed red paint into the planes’ engines and caused further damage with crowbars, claiming the act protested Britain’s alleged support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, following Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the “disgraceful attack,” stating, “The vandalism of RAF planes is totally unacceptable,” and highlighted the group’s “long history of unacceptable criminal damage” costing millions. The proscription, equating Palestine Action with groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, makes membership or support a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The decision follows earlier incidents, including a 2022 attack on a Thales defense factory in Glasgow, causing £1.1 million in damage, and vandalism at Elbit Systems’ Bristol site in 2024. Palestine Action, founded in 2020 by Huda Ammori and Richard Barnard, called the ban “unhinged” and an “utterly ludicrous overreaction,” vowing to challenge it legally with a court hearing set for July 4, 2025. The group’s spokesperson claimed, “When our government fails to uphold their moral and legal obligations, it is the responsibility of ordinary citizens to take direct action.” Critics, including Labour MP Nadia Whittome, warned the move sets a “dangerous precedent” that could silence dissent, while Amnesty International UK decried the use of counter-terrorism powers against protesters. The UN Human Rights Council also opposed the ban, arguing it targets a group that “has not endangered human lives.” The legislation awaits approval from the House of Lords on July 3, 2025, to be enacted.